The Tale Of Kanye West's Early Life And Journey To Fame

 Without a question, one of his generation's most significant musicians is Kanye West. There is no doubting Mr. West's creative influence on the world, from his genre-defying bodies of work to his distinctive clothing lines. Kanye has achieved what he has set out to do.

He achieved his first goal of becoming the world's largest producer. He also achieved his goal of being the biggest rapper in the world. He crossed being one of the most well-known names in fashion off his bucket list. However, Kanye's career has been one of the most divisive paths we have ever witnessed.

Since he first entered the music industry, Kanye West's name has essentially been associated with controversy. But one thing is certain—whether you currently love him or despise him, you feel SOMETHING about him. And few people have had the same influence on the world as Kanye West.

This is one of the most EPIC stories ever told, from his early years in China with his mother to the vehicle tragedy that almost cost him his life in Los Angeles.

Donda and Ray West gave birth to Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The two met at Spelman College in Atlanta, where Donda worked in the public relations department while pursuing her Master's degree at Atlanta University and Ray was employed as a freelance photographer by the director of public relations.

One of the first black photo journalists employed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Ray West was formerly a member of the Black Panther Party. He has two degrees as well. 

Three months after they began dating, the two were wed. Although neither of them initially desired to have children, three years into their marriage, they gave birth to Kanye.

Kanye initially believed that his parents' divorce occurred when he was three years old, but he later admitted in a David Letterman interview that although it may have been formalized at that time, his parents had actually been practically apart since he was a newborn. 

Initially, Ray was a wonderful husband and father, but as his photography business grew, that took precedence in his life, and Donda made the decision that she didn't want to be subordinate to his business.

When Kanye was only three years old, he and his mother moved to Chicago. Donda was an English professor who started her career in Atlanta at Morris Brown College before moving on to Chicago State University. She bought a home on South Shore Drive where she and Kanye lived for 8 years, despite the fact that she was a single parent with limited resources but always managed to give her son a nice life. Donda instilled in Kanye from an early age the value of speaking his mind. Something he has never been afraid to do.

However, Kanye would visit his father in Washington, DC, every summer. And even though Kanye didn't know what his father did for a living, he was constantly sent back to school with a brand-new clothing from his father! Kanye was a very talented kid, especially in the arts. When he was just three years old, he would create his own toys and draw intricate illustrations.

Kids twice his age at the time were not as good at using crayons as he was.

Before attending preschool at his mother's place of employment, Ye was enrolled at Professional Playhouse Preschool. When Kanye was younger, his teachers called him "academically bright," but they also noted that he was self-absorbed socially and didn't get along with others. He went to Vanderpoet Magnet School in Chicago for kindergarten.

After his mother was chosen through the Fullbright Scholarship program to be a foreign expert for the People's Republic of China, Kanye and Donda spent a year there when he was ten. Even though he would have been in the fifth grade back home, Kanye was put in the third grade in China due to the language barrier. However, he had a private tutor from Zimbabwe who helped him keep up with the fifth grade curriculum for when he returned.

In addition to being a skilled break dancer, Kanye would charge Chinese students to watch him perform. He would then use the money to buy street food.

Later, Donda homeschooled Kanye for the remainder of their year in China. He attended private art lessons and Tai Chi classes twice a week in addition to his academic work.

Kanye was feeling unusually inspired when he got home, so he started working on one of his early dreams—creating video games. That made him fall in love with the way game scores are made. From that point on, he started to continually work on music, and Kanye spent all of his time rehearsing.

Green Eggs and Ham was the first song his mother recalls him penning, and it was presumably influenced by Dr. Seuss. His first recording was done in a Chicago basement studio that billed $25 per hour. At the age of 13, Kanye believed he would sign with an agency and break out as a celebrity.

He even informed his gym teacher that he wouldn't be attending class because he would be signed to a label. But it took some time for things to occur. Donda supported Kanye's dream and shared her belief in him. Now that becoming a rapper was his goal, he would create his own beats so that he would have music to rap to. 

After saving some money, Kanye purchased his first sample keyboard when he was 14 years old. Additionally, he began selling his beats, charging local musicians $50 each beat. According to the lyrics of his song "Spaceship," he produced five beats every day for three summers.

Ye took on odd jobs to earn extra cash to upgrade his home studio. Eventually, he had his own mixer, turntables, and drum machine. His friends would visit them to work on music at their home studio. 

One of Kanye's most important mentors, common was introduced to him by Donda's work colleague, the mother of a legendary local producer No I.D. At the time, No I.D was working under Common. No ID's mother was persuaded by Donda to speak highly of her son, and soon a starving Kanye West was receiving production advice from Common.

After graduating high school, Ye made the unexpected decision to enroll in Chicago State University, where he was majoring in English. And if you are familiar with Kanye's career, you are aware of what transpired afterwards.

Kanye decided to drop out of college and concentrate completely on his music career. However, before he was able to achieve any genuine success as a rapper, his producing abilities helped him land some significant placements.

When he started making beats for Chicago-area artists, he would stay inside his modest Chicago flat and compose music there. He was making enough money from beat sales to pay the bills and occasionally treat himself to a new pair of Jordans. His desire to become a rapper, though, never left him. He was a member of the Go-Getters, a rap group. Under the management of Hustle Period, they were run by John Monopoly, Don Crowley, and Arrowstar.

However, the turning point in his career was undoubtedly when he started working as an artist, signed to Roc-A-Fella Records. Hip-Hop, the manager of the records declared that he would manage Kanye both as a producer and a rapper. Finally, Hip-Hop let Kanye know one day that he thought Jay Z might like to rap over one of his songs because he liked it so much. This song ultimately evolved into "This Can't Be Life."

After finishing the song's recording, he ran into Jay Z at the studio. That day, Kanye rapped for Jay, but nothing came of it at the time. Therefore, Kanye was still residing in his modest apartment and not much else musically was happening for him despite having a track on Jay Z's project.

Kanye was kicked out of his flat at the same time for failing to pay the rent. So, along with all of Ye's recording gear, Donda and Kanye relocated to Newark, New Jersey. "Heart of The City," the first beat he produced in his new apartment, was heard by Jay-Z, who used it along with many other beats from Kanye's album, The Blueprint. Kanye the Producer then took up. But he still had a long way to go in his rap career. Kanye kept on supplying music to Jay Z and other significant artists.

Kanye endured facial reconstruction surgery and had to have his mouth wired shut as a result of an accident. He wasn't covered by health insurance, so he had to pay for everything himself. However, Kanye would use that incident as the basis for one of his most significant songs. Just a few weeks after the incident, Kanye penned and rapped "Through The Wire," and he did so while having his jaw wired shut. Later, the song was released as the lead single from his debut album.

Finally, Kanye West released his debut album, "The College Dropout," after signing with Roc-A-Fella labels. "Slow Jamz," the second single from the album, featuring Twista and Jaimie Foxx. All three musicians' number one hits came from that song. The album The College Dropout ultimately took home the Grammy for best Rap album.

One of the most amazing and influential runs in music history followed by Kanye's career. Kanye never hesitated to express his opinions and held his mother's guidance close to his heart. But despite the controversies that surrounded his identity, his music persisted in speaking far louder. Two years later, West released "Graduation," another timeless record.

However, Kanye lost the most significant person in his life—his mother, Donda West—while he was at the pinnacle of his fame and glory. This is frequently cited as the turning point in Kanye's career. In November 2007, she suffered difficulties following surgery and died. At the Grammy Awards that year, Kanye gave a famous tribute performance of his song "Hey Mamma" while sporting Mamma shaved into his hair.

At about the same time, Kanye called off his engagement to longtime girlfriend Alexis Phifer. Kanye had proposed to Alexis when they were in Milan, and they were planning a wedding. 

Phifer worked as a clothing designer after graduating from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. But sadly, nothing turned out as planned. Losing the two most significant ladies in his life put Kanye through the toughest time of his life.

He changed his artistic course and released the album "808's and Heartbreak" using T-distinctive Agony's auto-tune style for a more melodic sound in order to communicate the pain and heartbreak. This album's sound once again completely changed the course of hip-hop, laying the foundation for a lot of the music we hear today.

West was seen drinking from a large bottle of Hennessy at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards with his new girlfriend Amber Rose, which made it obvious that he hadn't fully processed the grief and pain of his losses.

Kanye made the decision to pull away from the spotlight. In Hawaii, where he had a private studio, a basketball court, and a creative hub, Kanye found serenity. 

He would invite artists from all over the world to come work with him and help create "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," which would go on to be hailed by critics as one of the best albums of all time. 

Kanye gradually re-entered the public eye before to its release by releasing one new tune under the "Good Friday" series each week. Kanye then appeared as though he had never left.

Kanye and Kim Kardashian started dating in 2012, and they have been together ever since. North was born in 2013, and the couple married the following year. Since then, the two have had three additional kids together.

But he didn't start devoting more of his time and energy to fashion until Twisted Fantasy was out. He debuted his first trademark shoe, the "Yeezy 1s," with Nike before making the historic switch to Adidas, which gave him the flexibility to launch his own clothing brand.

The Yeezy shoe line has grown to be one of the most coveted in the history of sneakers, and online resale prices for them are absurdly exorbitant. When his album "The Life of Pablo" was released in 2016, Kanye was able to present the third season of his Yeezy line in Madison Square Garden.

In Wyoming, Kanye created a string of 7-track albums, including his own "Ye" album and Pusha T's Grammy-nominated "Daytona."

As of today, Kanye has a beautiful family with his wife Kim Kardashian, a successful clothing line that sells out instantly upon release, and one of the greatest legacies in music, ever.