yea everything's a carti reference
Ye (
/jeɪ/ YAY; born
Kanye Omari West /ˈkɑːnjeɪ oʊˈmɑːri/ KAHN-yay oh-MAH-ree, June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He has been listed among the greatest rappers of all time and referred to as one of the most prominent figures in
hip-hop. His music, characterized by frequent stylistic shifts, has been credited with facilitating the emergence of rappers who did not conform to
gangsta rap conventions. He is also known for his controversial public persona, including
his polarizing cultural and political commentary.
West was born in
Atlanta and raised in
Chicago. After dropping out of college to pursue a music career, he became a producer for
Jay-Z's
Roc-A-Fella Records and garnered recognition for his "
chipmunk soul" production style before signing with the label as a recording artist. His debut studio album,
The College Dropout (2004), received acclaim, and his second album,
Late Registration (2005), became his first of eleven US
Billboard 200 number-one albums. He has five US
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles―"
Slow Jamz" (2003), "
Gold Digger" (2005), "
Stronger" (2007), "
E.T." (2011, as a featured artist), and "
Carnival" (2024)―and was the
first rapper to top the chart across three decades. Beyond his musical career, he has collaborated with
Nike,
Louis Vuitton, and
Gap Inc. on clothing and footwear, and led the
Yeezy collaboration with
Adidas.