Kanye Omari West (born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, fashion designer. West is among the most critically acclaimed musicians of the 21st century. His music has spanned a broad range of styles, incorporating an eclectic range of influences including hip hop, soul, baroque pop, electro, indie rock, synth-pop, industrial, and gospel.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West first became known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing singles for recording artists such as Jay-Z, Ludacris, and Alicia Keys. Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper, West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to critical and commercial success, and founded the record label GOOD Music. He went on to experiment with a variety of musical genres on subsequent acclaimed studio albums, including Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007), and the polarizing but influential 808s & Heartbreak (2008). Released in 2010, West's fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was the most critically acclaimed album of the 2010s, being hailed by critics as the best album of the decade. He has since succeeded the album with Yeezus (2013), The Life of Pablo (2016), Ye (2018), and the Christian album Jesus Is King (2019), as well as full-length collaborations Watch the Throne (2011) and Kids See Ghosts (2018) with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi respectively...
