Kanye West

There's not much about Kanye West that doesn't put him in the spotlight. Whether it's through this Chicago native's infectious beats, cleverly simple rhymes, or his willingness to say what others will not, West has made it known that he is a man who is here to break down barriers. Born June 8, 1977, West grew up listening to hip-hop. After graduating from high school, he briefly attended Columbia College in Chicago but soon dropped out and focused his attention on making music. Although he originally made his mark by producing albums for such heavy hitters as Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Jay-Z, West claims he has been rapping for nearly his whole life, practicing his craft as a child by listening and singing along with one of his first influences, Run DMC.

After creating a name for himself as a producer, West set his sights on releasing his own album. West's first album, The College Dropout, was delayed several times while he produced works for other artists and recovered from a near fatal car crash. But, when it finally came out in 2004, West had struck gold. The album featured the single 'Through the Wire,' which helped the record and West become one of the hottest artist of the year