Kanye West

Kanye West

Kanye Omari West is an American musician, film director and fashion designer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Janet Jackson. His style of production originally used pitched-up vocal samples from soul songs incorporated with his own drums and instruments. However, subsequent productions saw him broadening his musical palette and expressing influences encompassing '70s R&B, baroque pop, trip hop,...
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quick facts
Birthdate:June 8, 1977
Birthplace:Atlanta, Georgia
Age:34
Height:5' 10"
Education:Virginia Union University, Chicago State University
Also known as:Kanye Omari West, West, Kanye, Ye

Honors and Awards

Graduation
Grammy Awards
Grammy Award for Best Rap Album
Jesus Walks
Grammy Awards
Grammy Award for Best Rap Song
Jesus Walks
Late Registration
Grammy Awards
Grammy Award for Best Rap Album
YearAward & CategoryAlbum/Song
2004 Won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album The College Dropout
2005 Won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song Diamonds from Sierra Leone
2004 Won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song You Don't Know My Name
2007 Won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song Good Life
2008 Won the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration American Boy
2011 Won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song All of the Lights
2011 Won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2006 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year Gold Digger
2006 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration They Say
2005 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance Through the Wire
2006 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song Unbreakable
2007 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song Can't Tell Me Nothing
2005 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration All Falls Down
2007 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year Graduation
2005 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Slow Jamz
2005 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year The Emancipation of Mimi
2005 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year Late Registration
2004 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year Jesus Walks
2008 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year American Boy
2008 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song Swagga Like Us
2008 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration American Boy
2008 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year Tha Carter III
2009 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Ego
2009 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Knock You Down
2011 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year All of the Lights
2011 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song All of the Lights
2011 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song Otis
2011 Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2012 Nominated for the Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Album Watch the Throne
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Musical groups containing Kanye West

Child Rebel Soldier
Child Rebel Soldier

Child Rebel Soldier, shortened CRS, is a hip hop supergroup composed of hip hop artists Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and Pharrell Williams. Child Rebel...
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Record label for Kanye West

GOOD Music
GOOD Music

GOOD Music is an American record label founded by rapper and producer Kanye West in 2004. "GOOD" is an acronym for "Getting Out Our Dreams". In early recording days of West, GLC and Really Doe, all three belonged to a group The Go-Getters. Although none of them have an album under the label, West...
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Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Founded:1984
Parent company:Universal Music Group

Def Jam Recordings is an American hip-hop record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group. In the UK, the label takes on the name Def Jam UK and is operated through Mercury Music Group, while in Japan, it is Def Jam Japan operating through Universal Sigma Music.

Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records
Founded:1996
Founders:Jay-Z

Roc-A-Fella Records is a record label founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group. The foundation of the label occurred in 1996, beginning as an...
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Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Founded:1934
Parent company:Vivendi

Universal Music Group is a multinational music company. It is the largest of the "big four" record companies by its leading market share and its multitude of global operations. Universal Music Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of French media conglomerate Vivendi. Universal Music Group owns a...
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Musical genres covered by Kanye West

Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues

Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African-American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally...
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Pop music
Pop music

Pop music is a genre of popular music which originated in its modern form in the 1950s, deriving from rock and roll. The terms popular music and pop...
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Movies with appearances by Kanye West

TitleReleasedRatedGenre
The Black Mamba 2011 Short Film
The Brotherly Love Table Read 2010 Short Film
We Were Once a Fairytale 2009 Short Film
The Love Guru 2008 PG-13 (USA) Comedy
BET Hip Hop Awards 2007 2007 Hip hop movies
Dave Chappelle's Block Party 2006 R (USA) Documentary
Kanye West: Late Orchestration 2006 Hip hop movies
The Famous Street Heat: Vol. 1 2006 Hip hop movies
NSTV Presents: For Promotional Use Only 2006 Hip hop movies
Video Vixens 2006 Hip hop movies
We Are Together 2006 PG (USA) Documentary
Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and The Cops 2006 Music
State Property 2 2005 R (USA) Indie
Kanye West: Unauthorized 2005 Hip hop movies
The Industry 2005 Hip hop movies
Jools Holland: Later ... Hip Hop Soul 2004
Strong Arm Steady 2004 Hip hop movies
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Films produced or directed by Kanye West

TitleReleasedRoleGenre
We Were Once a Fairytale 2009 Produced Short Film
Runaway 2010 Directed Short Film
Kanye West: College Dropout - Video Anthology 2005 Directed Documentary
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TV appearances by Kanye West

Alligator Boots
Alligator Boots
Series Aired: 2009
Spike Guys' Choice Awards
Spike Guys' Choice Awards
Series Aired: 2007
Number of seasons:1
Genre:Television special, Award show
Network:Spike
MTVU Stand In
MTVU Stand In
Series Aired: July 22, 2005
Number of seasons:1

TV shows created or produced by Kanye West

TitleRoleFirst Aired
Alligator Boots Produced 2009
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Birthplace of Kanye West

Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Founded:1837
Population:394,175

Atlanta is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia with a 2010 population of 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest in the U.S. It is a major component of a...
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Places Kanye West has lived

Map showing Places Lived by Kanye West
MarkerLocationPopulation
A Atlanta 420,003
B Chicago 2,695,598
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q:
    What genre of music does Kanye West play?
  • A:
    Musical tracks by Kanye West are in the hip hop genre.
  • Q:
    What musical instruments are used by Kanye West?
  • A:
    Kanye West plays the synthesizer, percussion, keyboard instrument and sampler.
  • Q:
    Which educational institution did Kanye West attend?
  • A:
    Kanye West studied at Virginia Union University.
  • Q:
    What is the height of Kanye West?
  • A:
    Kanye West is 5 feet, 8 inches tall.
  • Q:
    What is a popular quote by Kanye West?
  • A:
    One notable quote is, "I was never really good at anything except for the ability to learn."
  • Q:
    Kanye West's songs were published by which recording studio?
  • A:
    Record labels that Kanye West worked with include GOOD Music.
  • Q:
    Where did Kanye West begin performing music?
  • A:
    Their career started in Chicago.
  • Q:
    For which awards has Kanye West been nominated?
  • A:
    Award nominations include:
    - American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
    - Grammy Award for Record of the Year for "Gold Digger"
    - Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "They Say"
    -Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for "Through the Wire"
    - Grammy Award for Best New Artist
  • Q:
    Which albums have been created by Kanye West?
  • A:
    Record albums released include:
    - Graduation
    - Late Registration
    - The College Dropout
    - 808s & Heartbreak
    - The College Dropout Video Anthology
    - Freshmen adjustment
    - The Graduate
  • Q:
    Where was Kanye West born?
  • A:
    Kanye West was born in Atlanta.
Kanye West Photo Gallery

Awards & Accolades

  • Best Rap Solo Performance
    2008, 2006
  • BET Award for Best Male Hip Hop Artist
    2008, 2005
  • BET Award for Best New Artist
    2004
  • Outstanding New Artist
    2005

Quotes

  • I was never really good at anything except for the ability to learn.

    - Kanye West
Kanye West
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