Why Is Kanye West So Famous?

Kanye West is most likely the most public of all celebrities amongst entertainment, music, and fashion stars. From his record-breaking albums, celebrity feuds, or outspoken comments, Kanye has built a brand under the spotlight. Success is however not being outspoken or mouthy but has behind it record-breaking sales, entrepreneurial savvy, and cultural clout few others can claim to possess. This is a behind-the-scenes view of how Kanye West rose to and has remained such a huge star.

Kanye West’s Music Sales And Grammy Wins Made Him A Dominant Power In Hip-Hop

Kanye first rose to prominence as a Roc-A-Fella Records producer, achieving chart-toppers with Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Jay-Z. His debut album, The College Dropout (2004), was released on more than 4 million US copies alone and garnered 10 Grammy nominations. Through 2023, Kanye West has sold over 160 million records worldwide and ranks as one of the biggest-selling music artists in history.

He won 24 of 75 Grammys, making him one of the most awarded artists ever. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Graduation albums consistently appear on greatest-of-all-time lists from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Complex. His capacity to blend the inclusion of soul, electronic, gospel, and experimental into hip-hop allowed him to emerge as a genre-bending artist.

Kanye West’s Sneaker Brand And Fashion Work Expanded His Fame Worldwide

Aside from music, Kanye created equally massive waves in fashion. His Adidas shoe brand Yeezy was a worldwide phenomenon. When Yeezy shoes first came out, they would sell out within minutes. Forbes estimates that Yeezy made $1.3 billion in revenue alone in 2019, with Kanye earning royalties of around 11% to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Up to 2020, Forbes approximated Kanye's net worth to be $1.3 billion, primarily from his fashion business. Even when Adidas ditched him in 2022 over controversy, Yeezy was still a household name, and resale sites like StockX and GOAT reported increased demand for older sneaker releases.

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Kanye West’s Public Behavior And Media Events Kept Him In Headlines For Years

Kanye West's celebrity has also been propelled by the amount of times he made headlines. From Taylor Swift crashing the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards to stop him to his political, religious, and racial remarks, Kanye has taken the spotlight for too long to become legendary. Both of them did so at the cost of receiving both negative and positive attention, giving rise to round-the-clock social media chatter and media coverage. His association with worldwide famous performer Kim Kardashian, the world-renowned celebrity, brought his personal life into the spotlight. His 2014 marriages to both of them were observed by millions during one of the year's biggest celebrity unions, and his household was featured on Keeping Up with the Kardashians on a continuous basis, opening him up more.

Kanye West’s Streaming Numbers Show His Ongoing Relevance In Music Culture

Even as new artists enter the hip-hop scene, Kanye can still draw powerful figures. He has over 50 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of 2024. His 2021 album Donda was streamed over 60 million times in the initial 24-hour release window, setting Apple Music's record in all 152 countries. The fans also play his older discs, which demonstrate the longevity of his music. Graduation, which was released in 2007, continues to get millions of plays a month evidence of his sustained popularity.

Kanye West’s Style, Storytelling, And Influence Helped Shape Popular Culture

Kanye West helped shift hip-hop's focus away from gangster narratives toward emotional openness and biographical facts. Songs like "Jesus Walks," "Runaway," and "Hey Mama" brought heavier subjects to the forefront of hip-hop. His candor about mental illness, as sometimes imperfect, called for more open exploration of celebrity and sickness.

Further, Kanye's style dominated men's style for decades. Oversized hoodies, monochromatic color palettes, and streetwear becoming a part of high fashion's style icon can be directly attributed to his Yeezy fashion lines and public persona. His popularity is because of many industries intersecting in music, fashion, business, and popular culture through one man willing to defy rules and do what he wants despite the backlash.

Business Name: Sparkly Maid Chicago

Business Number: (224) 214-0145

Business Email: support@sparklymaid.com

Business Address: Chicago, IL