Early Life and Education of Kanye West: A Complete Timeline
Discover the defining moments in the early life of Kanye West. From birth to education, explore key events.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is a highly influential American rapper, songwriter, and record producer, recognized as one of hip-hop's most prominent figures and greatest rappers. His music is known for its stylistic diversity and impact on opening doors for rappers outside the gangster rap mold. Ye is also known for his controversial public persona and polarizing cultural and political commentary.
June 8, 1977: Kanye West Born
On June 8, 1977, Kanye Omari West, later known as Ye, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer.
1978: Hip Hop Since 1978 Founded
In 1978, Gee Roberson and Kyambo "Hip-Hop" Joshua founded the management-production company Hip Hop Since 1978.
1997: Attends American Academy of Art
In 1997, Kanye West received a scholarship to attend Chicago's American Academy of Art and began taking painting classes.
1998: Inspiration from Roseland NYC Live
In 1998, Kanye West was inspired by the live album Roseland NYC Live by Portishead. This album led him to incorporate string arrangements into his hip-hop production.
2002: Car Accident
In 2002, Kanye West was involved in a car accident which damaged his right frontal lobe.
August 2003: Postponement of The College Dropout Release
In August 2003, the initial release date for Kanye West's album, The College Dropout, was postponed.
August 2006: Engagement to Alexis Phifer
In August 2006, Kanye West became engaged to designer Alexis Phifer, marking a significant step in their relationship.
November 7, 2006: Public Apology for MTV Europe Music Awards Outburst
On November 7, 2006, Kanye West publicly apologized for his outburst at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards during his performance as a support act for U2's Vertigo concert in Brisbane.
2006: Father Opens Good Water Store and Café
In 2006, Kanye West's father, Ray West, opened the Good Water Store and Café in Lexington Park, Maryland, with startup capital from his son.
September 2007: Spoofs Incident on Saturday Night Live
In September 2007, Kanye West spoofed his 2006 outburst at the MTV Europe Music Awards on the 33rd-season premiere of Saturday Night Live.
November 2007: Death of Donda West and End of Engagement
In November 2007, Kanye West's mother, Donda West, passed away, and his engagement to Alexis Phifer ended, profoundly affecting him.
2008: End of Engagement with Alexis Phifer
In 2008, Kanye West and Alexis Phifer ended their 18-month engagement, with Phifer stating they split amicably and remained friends.
2008: Declared Himself a Voice and Connector by God
In a 2008 interview with The Fader, Kanye West stated that "I'm like a vessel, and God has chosen me to be the voice and the connector", illustrating a strong sense of divine purpose.
2009: MTV Video Music Awards Incident
During the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech to proclaim that Beyoncé deserved the award instead, leading to widespread criticism.
2009: Belief in God, Rejection of Religion
In a 2009 interview with Bossip, Kanye West stated that he believed in God, but at the time felt that he "would never go into a religion", showing a personal approach to faith.
November 2010: Seeming Recant of Apologies
In a November 2010 interview, Kanye West seemed to recant his past apologies for his actions at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, describing the act as "selfless".
June 2013: Birth of North West
In June 2013, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian welcomed their first child, North West, into the world.
October 2013: Engagement to Kim Kardashian
In October 2013, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian became engaged, marking a significant step in their relationship.
2013: Opposition to Abortion
In 2013, Kanye West voiced his opposition to abortion, citing his belief in the Sixth Commandment.
May 2014: Marriage to Kim Kardashian
In May 2014, Kanye West married Kim Kardashian at Fort di Belvedere in Florence, Italy, in a private ceremony.
2014: Marriage to Kim Kardashian
In 2014, Kanye West married Kim Kardashian. They have four children together.
2014: Referred to Himself as Christian
In 2014, Kanye West referred to himself as a Christian during one of his concerts, publicly identifying with the Christian faith.
April 2015: North West's Baptism in Jerusalem
In April 2015, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian traveled to Jerusalem to have their daughter, North, baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church at the Cathedral of St. James.
December 2015: Birth of Saint West
In December 2015, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian celebrated the birth of their second child, Saint West.
November 19, 2016: Abrupt Concert Ending and Committal to UCLA Medical Center
On November 19, 2016, Kanye West abruptly ended a concert and was committed to the UCLA Medical Center due to hallucinations and paranoia. The episode was initially described as "temporary psychosis" caused by dehydration and sleep deprivation.
November 21, 2016: Cancellation of Saint Pablo Tour and Hospitalization
On November 21, 2016, Kanye West canceled the remaining 21 dates of the Saint Pablo Tour following a week of erratic behavior. Subsequently, he was admitted to UCLA Medical Center for psychiatric observation, staying hospitalized due to temporary psychosis from sleep deprivation and dehydration.
December 2016: Meeting with President-Elect Donald Trump
In December 2016, Kanye West met with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss bullying, supporting teachers, modernizing curriculums, and violence in Chicago.
2016: Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis
In 2016, Kanye West was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, though the diagnosis wasn't made public until 2018. His addiction to opioids may have contributed to his nervous breakdown in 2016.
January 2018: Birth of Chicago West
In January 2018, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's third child, Chicago West, was born via surrogate.
September 2018: Album Announcement and Name Change
In September 2018, Kanye West announced his ninth studio album "Yandhi", slated for release by the end of the month, along with a collaborative album with Chance the Rapper titled "Good Ass Job". West also announced plans to change his stage name to "Ye" in September 2018.
2018: Opioid Addiction and Bipolar Disorder Discussion
In 2018, Kanye West revealed he had become addicted to opioids after being prescribed them following liposuction. He also mentioned his bipolar disorder diagnosis, which was revealed alongside his album "Ye".
2018: "Slavery Was a Choice" Controversy
In 2018, Kanye West stated that the 400-year enslavement of Africans "sounds like a choice," later clarifying his comments were about mental enslavement. He apologized for the remark that August.
2018: Allusion to Name Change
Kanye West had alluded to wishing to change his name since 2018 and had used Ye as a nickname for several years prior, stating in a 2018 interview that he believed "ye" (/jiː/) was the most commonly used word in the Bible.
January 6, 2019: Launch of Sunday Service Events
On January 6, 2019, Kanye West initiated his weekly "Sunday Service" events, featuring soul variations of his and others' songs. These events attracted multiple celebrities and marked a new direction in his artistic expression.
May 2019: Birth of Psalm West
In May 2019, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's fourth child, Psalm West, was born via surrogate.
September 2019: Kim Kardashian on Kanye's Religious Evolution
In September 2019, Kim Kardashian stated that Kanye West had an "amazing evolution of being born again and being saved by Christ,", reflecting a change in his religious beliefs.
October 2019: Kanye West's Testimony of Religious Conversion
In October 2019, Kanye West said that he was driven crazy by serving "multiple gods" and that he "didn't even know what it meant to be saved", now expressing his love for Jesus Christ and Christianity.
November 2019: Intention to Run in 2024
At an event in November 2019, Kanye West stated his intention to run for president again in the 2024 election, humorously suggesting he would 'walk' instead of 'run' due to job creation.
2019: Reacceptance of Bipolar Diagnosis
In 2019, Kanye West reportedly accepted his bipolar disorder diagnosis again, after previously suggesting it was a misdiagnosis.
July 4, 2020: Presidential Election Announcement
On July 4, 2020, Kanye West announced via Twitter his intention to run in the 2020 presidential election.
July 15, 2020: Filing with the Federal Election Commission
On July 15, 2020, official paperwork was filed with the Federal Election Commission for Kanye West, under the "BDY" Party affiliation.
July 2020: Statements on Taxes and Foreign Policy
In July 2020, Kanye West admitted to Forbes that he lacked knowledge on issues such as taxes and foreign policy.
July 2020: Abortion Consideration Revelation
In July 2020, during a presidential campaign rally, Kanye West revealed that he had previously considered abortion during Kim Kardashian's first pregnancy but has since adopted anti-abortion views.
November 4, 2020: Presidential Concession
On November 4, 2020, Kanye West conceded the presidential election via Twitter after receiving 66,365 votes across 12 states, averaging 0.32%.
2020: Independent Presidential Campaign
In 2020, Kanye West ran an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign.
January 4, 2021: Report of Pressuring Election Worker
According to Reuters, on January 4, 2021, a publicist linked to Kanye West pressured a Georgia election worker to falsely confess to election tampering to support Trump's claims.
August 2021: Filing for Name Change
In August 2021, Kanye West applied to court to legally change his name from "Kanye Omari West" to "Ye", citing "personal reasons".
October 2021: Selling Wyoming Ranch
In October 2021, Kanye West began the process of selling his Wyoming ranch, marking a shift in his living and business arrangements.
October 2021: Name Change Granted
In October 2021, Kanye West's request to legally change his name to "Ye" was granted by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge.
December 2021: Report on Undisclosed Campaign Payments
In December 2021, The Daily Beast reported that Kanye West's presidential campaign received millions in services from a secret network of Republican operatives without proper reporting, allegedly concealing a connection.
2021: Malibu Mansion Purchase
In 2021, Kanye West purchased a Malibu mansion for $57.3 million, marking a significant real estate investment.
2021: Announcement of Jeen-Yuhs Documentary
In 2021, it was announced that a documentary titled Jeen-Yuhs, which was filmed over 21 years and covered Kanye West's early life in Chicago, the death of his mother, and his presidential run, would debut. Netflix acquired the documentary for $30 million.
November 2022: Official Launch of Presidential Campaign
In November 2022, Kanye West officially launched his presidential campaign. He also claimed to have asked Donald Trump to be his running mate.
November 2022: Divorce Finalization
In November 2022, the divorce settlement between Kanye West and Kim Kardashian was finalized. West was ordered to pay $200,000 in monthly child support and cover half of the children's medical, educational, and security expenses.
December 2022: Suggestion of Autism Diagnosis
In December 2022, Kanye West suggested that he might be autistic.
2022: Abortion as 'Genocide'
In 2022, Kanye West described abortion as "genocide and population control" of black people.
2022: Release of Jeen-Yuhs on Netflix
In 2022, the documentary Jeen-Yuhs, acquired by Netflix, was released. It covers Kanye West's life from his early days in Chicago through significant events like his mother's death and his presidential run.
January 2023: Informal Marriage to Bianca Censori
In January 2023, it was reported that Kanye West had informally married Bianca Censori, who works for his Yeezy brand, in a private ceremony in Beverly Hills. The ceremony had no legal standing.
October 2023: West 'is not a candidate for office in 2024'
In October 2023, an attorney representing Kanye West stated that he "is not a candidate for office in 2024".
2023: Formal Diagnosis of Brain Damage
In 2023, Kanye West received a formal diagnosis that his right frontal lobe was damaged during his 2002 car accident. According to West, the oversight of the brain injury contributed to his struggles with mental illness in the following decades.
January 2024: Titanium Prosthodontics Installation
In January 2024, dentist Thomas Connelly installed titanium prosthodontics for Kanye West.
March 2024: Declaration of God Status
During an interview in March 2024, Kanye West revealed he has "issues with Jesus" after missed prayers, before declaring himself as God.
June 29, 2024: Travel to Moscow for Gosha Rubchinskiy's Birthday
On June 29, 2024, Kanye West traveled to Moscow, Russia, to celebrate the 40th birthday of Russian fashion designer Gosha Rubchinskiy, resulting in criticism and being labeled an "enemy of Ukraine" by a Ukrainian politician due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
2024: Sale of Malibu Mansion
In 2024, Kanye West sold his Malibu mansion for $21 million after deconstructing it to its "bare structure", resulting in a significant financial loss.
2024: Future Presidential Run
Kanye West expressed his intention to run for president again in the 2024 presidential election at an event in November 2019.
February 2025: Professional Autism Diagnosis
In February 2025, Kanye West stated that he had received a professional diagnosis of autism.
April 2025: Incestuous Relationship Revelation
In April 2025, Kanye West publicly disclosed that he had an incestuous relationship with a male cousin during their childhood. He mentioned the relationship started when they attempted to reenact what they saw in gay pornography magazines that West had discovered in his mother's closet and that he performed oral sex on his cousin until he was 14, when he ended the relationship.
2025: Effort to Change Social Media Handles
In 2025, Ye made an effort to change his social media handles from @kanyewest to @ye. However, the public still generally referred to him using his birth name, "[w]hether for SEO reasons, force of habit, animosity, or intentional suppression".
2025: West's Explanation in 'In Whose Name?'
In the 2025 documentary 'In Whose Name?', Kanye West attributed his controversial statements and actions to his bipolar disorder, describing them as performance art.
2026: Official Apology
In 2026, Kanye West issued an official apology for his antisemitic views.
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