Kanye West is a rapper, producer, and designer born in 1977 who began his career producing music for local Chicago artists before signing with Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s. His 2004 debut album, The College Dropout, launched a successful career characterized by Grammy-winning albums like Late Registration and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. West’s career is also marked by his influence on hip-hop, his innovative fashion designs with Yeezy, and significant public controversies.