Kanye West is undoubtedly one of greatest creative geniuses of modern times. This popular producer, rapper, fashion designer and politician has 22 Grammys under his belt. This makes him one of the top winning artists of all time.
Kanye West is on the 2021 Forbes Billionaires list, and his net worth is placed at a whopping $1.8 Billion. One of his sources of income includes proceeds from his partnership with Adidas. The designer company manufactures his sneaker label Yeezy. The brand has proved wildly lucrative. The 2020 sales are estimated to have been about $1.7billion.
Here is how Kanye West developed Yeezy into the leading brand it is now. Tales about Kanye West’s car collection are also enthralling. In addition, this famous personality is not without controversy. Find out how his feud with Taylor Swift was ignited. Learning about a celebrity’s background is always an eye-opener and makes for good reading.
Walk Through the Article
Kanye West’s Yeezy Label
In his album ‘Graduation’, Kanye refers to himself as Yeezy. This is one of the several nicknames he is known by. It comes as no surprise that he named his designer sneaker brand ‘Yeezy’. Launched in February 2015, the Yeezy line of high end sneakers was received with much enthusiasm.
The Agreement with Adidas
Kanye West previously worked with Louis Vuitton and Giuseppe Zanotti. In addition, he also had a deal with Nike which he terminated in 2013.
Under the agreement with Adidas, Kanye is not only awarded royalties for his designs, but he also retains full ownership. The collaboration was off to an excellent start. For example, in 2019, the annual revenue for Yeezy sneakers was $1.3 billion.
What is Special about Yeezy Sneakers?
Yeezy sneakers retail at about $349 per pair and up to $2,000 on resale platforms such as eBay. If you are wondering why these sneakers with their bulbous shape carry such hefty price tags, the simple answer is that they are a designer product.
Firstly, the sneakers are limited edition. In addition, they are not widely distributed which keeps the demand high. Millennials treasure branded sneakers because they add the ‘wow’ factor to their outfits and make a fashion statement. The Yeezy sneakers have a unique, select target market.
Kanye West and Taylor Swift Feud
The Kanye West and Taylor Swift saga began at the Video Music Awards (VMA) in 2009. The Best Female Video Category award went to Taylor Swift for her track ‘You Belong with Me’. The drama began when Taylor was in the middle of her acceptance speech. Kanye interrupted her to say that in his opinion Beyoncé had a better video.
The crowd booed, and Kanye’s behavior was widely denounced as rude and awkward. Kanye later apologized. He is reported by the Insider as saying to Jay Leno of the ‘Tonight Show’:
“I only wanted to help people my entire life. I’ve only wanted to give and do something that I felt was right and I immediately knew in this situation that it was wrong,” West told Leno of storming the VMA stage. “It wasn’t a spectacle. It’s actually someone’s emotions that I stepped on. It was rude, period.”
Is The Feud Over Now?
When Kim Kardashian and her sister Kendall attended Tyler Swift’s concert in London in 2015 the three ladies appeared to be on good terms. Also when Kanye was photographed with Taylor at the Grammys the same year, to all indications, the feud was over. However, it was ignited once again with Kanye’s release of his track ‘Famous’ in 2016. Taylor objected to the lyrics as they referred to her as a ‘Bitch’.
She later hit back at Kanye in her speech at the Grammys in 2016. She hinted that certain people tried to undercut her success and take credit for it. So the feud continues.
Kanye West’s Car Collection
The advantage of being a big time billionaire is that you can pander to your whims. Kanye West is no different. He has the ultimate car collection estimated to be worth about $6.4million. Kanye loves Lamborghinis, and he owns several of them. He also has in his collection an Aston Martin, Mercedes Benz McLaren SLR, and a Bugatti Veyron priced at $3.5million. He also owns a Prombron Iron Diamond, the most expensive SUV ever built.
What we know about Kanye West’s early Life
Kanye’s birth name is Kanye Omari West. He was born in Atlanta Georgia, but grew up in Chicago. His parents divorced when he was a little boy, so he was raised by his mother, an English Professor. However, he spent summers with his photojournalist father.
Kanye had a middle-class upbringing and went to the Polaris High School. Thereafter, proceed on to Chicago’s American Academy of Art; however he dropped out to pursue his dream of making music. Later, he would name his first solo album ‘The College Dropout’.
Kanye West’s Musical Career
Kanye’s bold, distinctive style has earned him international acclaim. This talented musician cut his first record at the age of 13, and he sold his first beat for $8000 in 1998. The turning point in his career, however, was in 2000 when he joined ‘Roc-a-Fella’ as a producer for hip-hop artists. Jay Z’s ‘The Blueprint’ gave him valuable recognition as he composed 5 of the songs on the album.
In 2004, he finally released his first solo album ‘The College Dropout’ and it not only went platinum but it also won the Grammy for Best Rap Album. In 2005, Kanye made the list of TIME’s 100 most influential people. He released his second album ‘Late Registration’ in 2005 which officially catapulted him to the ranks of the top hip-hop stars. It was nominated for 10 awards at the Grammys and Kanye walked away with 3 awards.
Is Kanye worth more than Jay-Z?
According to the latest figures from Forbes, Jay-Z’s net worth is estimated to be $1.4 billion against Kanye West’s $1.8 billion. Although he has just undergone a divorce, he will still retain a stake in Kim Kardashian’s ‘Skims’ brand. That, combined with his Yeezy shoe label and Streetwear Design business will keep him in the multibillionaire bracket.
What does Jay-Z say about Kanye West?
Kanye West and Jay-Z go back a long way. In fact, in 2011, they collaborated on the album ‘Watch the Throne’. However, their relationship appears to have soured when Kim Kardashian came into the picture. Kanye has often gone on a rant to decry the loss of friendship between them. However, in an interview with the New York Times Styles Magazine, Jay-Z referred to Kanye as his brother, although he admitted that they had a complicated relationship.
Kanye West and the Bipolar Disorder
Kanye West has an ego and frequently alienates friends and foes alike. In addition, there have been many occasions when he has behaved like someone who has no control over his actions. For example his decision to run for President in 2020 was received with disbelief. Furthermore, he has declared his intention to run again in 2024.
It was not surprise, therefore, when he revealed that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016. On the bright side, he’s coming out and speaking openly about his ailment has encouraged others to learn more about mental illness.
Kanye West he will go down in history as one of the most remarkable musicians of the 21st century.
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