With an estimated worth of $70 million dollars, Kanye West is a notable produce, rapper and actor. West was born in Atlanta but raised by his mother first in Chicago and then Oak Lawn Illinois. He dropped out of college to pursue his career in the music industry, starting out initially as a producer for Roc-A-Fella records, but finally persuaded label head Jay-Z to sign him on as a rapper.

West spent four years honing and perfecting what would become his debut album, The College Dropout, which came in at number two on the Billboard 200 and is still Kanye West’s best-selling album in the U.S.A. to date. Subsequent albums, Late Registration, Graduation and 808s & Heartbreak were also chart-toppers that received critical as well as commercial success. His production credits include an impressive role call of talent including: Jay-Z, Beyoncé, John Legend, Alicia Keys and Janet Jackson. West is also a seasoned businessman with a chain of Fatburger restaurants designated for the Chicago area, Air Yeezy, a line of athletic shoes for Nike, and another shoe line with Louis Vuitton. His philanthropy ventures include his own Kayne West Foundation, which benefits education for African American and Latino children, in addition to contributing time, talent and money to Hurricane Katrina relief, World Water Day, and Live Earth, among other organizations. To date, Kanye West has won forty-six awards, among them fourteen Grammys, seven BET awards, and two American Music Awards.

By Rachel