West, Kanye (1977– )

US hip-hop artist, composer, and producer. Known for his witty lyrics and slick beats, he released his critically and commercially successful soul-inspired debut album The College Dropout in 2004, followed by Late Registration (2005) and Graduation (2007). He also produced music for major industry talents such as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys (1981– ).

The College Dropout samples from a range of soul and hip-hop artists and features the hits ‘Slow Jamz’, a collaboration with Chicago rapper Twista (1973– ) and Jamie Foxx, the philosophical ‘Jesus Walks’, and ‘Through the Wire’, recorded while his jaw was wired shut after being broken in a near-fatal car accident. The album went beyond the common rapper fare of sex, drugs, and gang violence, and achieved mainstream success.

He was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. After producing beats for a number of hip-hop artists he signed with the Roc-A-Fella label in 2002, launching his solo career. He has won dozens of the music industry's top awards for performing, recording, and producing, including Grammy, Billboard, Brit, and MOBO awards. He established his own label, GOOD Music, in 2004.