Kanye Omari West (born June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a Grammy award winning rapper, producer, author, designer and singer.
He began making beats and rapping in the early 90s in Chicago, IL, United States when he formed the rap group Go Getters with Chicago natives GLC and Really Doe. He later gained nationwide popularity in New York when he began producing tracks for artists such as Jay-Z, Twista, Mase, Talib Kweli and Alicia Keys.
In 2004 (after being pushed aside by many record companies who felt he wasn’t a marketable hip hop artist), he managed to release his debut solo album, The College Dropout on Roc-a-Fella Records. The album received critical acclaim, defining the style for which West would become known: “wordplay” and heavy sampling of 70s soul and rnb tracks. He is also known for his politically-charged rhymes and controversial behavior both inside and outside the realms of music.
He has since released four more albums, all of which have received numerous awards, high commercial success and critical acclaim. Late Registration (2005); Graduation (2007); 808s & Heartbreak (2008); and his current album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010).
Personal life:
West was born in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was three years old (as mentioned in Hey Mama) his parents divorced, and he moved with his mother to Chicago, Illinois.
