Updating our list of the World’s Richest Musicians is always exciting, but not always surprising. Some artists rise and fall, but the overall ranking remains relatively stable. Last year was an exception, as Kanye West saw a significant increase in rank and net worth (Ye). He is now comfortably atop the rankings. Is the reported number correct and how did he do it? We’ll tell you everything you need to know about Kanye West’s net worth down below.
What is Kanye West’s net worth?
Kanye West has a net worth of $6.6 billion as of 2022. However, as we’ll see below, his net worth has been the subject of heated debate, with major media outlets disagreeing on the figure. While Bloomberg reported a $6.6 billion valuation, Forbes claims he is “only” worth $2 billion. This is due to the fact that a large portion of his net worth is derived from his business investments, which are difficult to value.
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Kanye West Biography
Kanye Omari West is an Atlanta-based American songwriter, singer, rapper, fashion designer, and record producer.
Kanye West began his career as a Roc-A-Fella Records producer, producing hit singles for many of the label’s recording artists. West received widespread acclaim for his work on Jay-album Z’s “The Blueprint,” as well as hit singles like “Izzo (H.O.V.A. ),” “04′ Bonnie & Clyde,” “Stand Up,” and “Jesus Walks.”
Kanye has grown into an international star not only through his music career, but also through his own fashion brand, shoe collections, and a variety of other ventures. Kanye recently provided documents proving that his stake in Yeezy has increased his net worth into the billions, according to Forbes. Kanye has sold over 140 million records worldwide and received numerous awards, including 21 Grammy nominations. He is also one of the most popular concert performers, earning over $150 million from his tours alone.
Kanye has topped charts, sparked debate, released controversial tracks and videos, and established himself as one of the richest rappers in the hip-hop industry since his debut.
Kanye West Career
Until the early 2000s, Kanye West was involved in small music productions. He produced music for local artists and worked with Deric ‘D-Dot’ Angelettie.
When he became the producer for artists on Roc-A-Fella Records, he collaborated with singers such as Ludacris, Common, and Cam’Ron. West began his career as a successful producer, but his true ambition was to become a rapper. He made his rapping debut in 2004 with the release of his debut album, ‘The College Dropout,’ which sold 441,000 copies in its first week.
In 2005, he worked on West’s new album ‘Late Registration with composer Jon Brion. His previous album had already sold 2.3 million copies in the United States.
Two years later, he released ‘Graduation,’ his third studio album, which debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and sold approximately 957,000 copies in its first week. Kanye’s biggest single hit was the song ‘Stronger.’ West’s fifth album, ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,’ debuted at the top of the Billboard charts in its first week and was praised by critics as a masterpiece. In the United States, the album went platinum.
West has sold millions of copies since then and is widely regarded as one of the best rappers in the world. He has worked with artists such as Eminem, Jay-Z, Beyonce, and others.
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What does Kanye West make from his music?
Kanye West is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most successful hip-hop artists of all time. He has dabbled in a variety of genres, including pop, gospel, and even electro, but he is best known for his hip-hop hits and collaborations with major artists such as Jay Z, John Legend, and Rihanna.
Kanye West is one of the best-selling artists of all time, with nearly 250 million certified units sold in his career. In 2020, his music catalog is expected to be worth $110 million. With 24 Grammy awards, he is tied with Jay Z for the most decorated hip-hop artist in history.
Based on his monthly Spotify listeners, it is estimated that he earns more than $15 million per year from the streaming platform. Other streaming services, such as Apple Music and Amazon Music, are likely to pay him a comparable amount.
His tours have been among the most profitable in history, grossing an astounding $200 million:
- Total Gross for Watch the Throne (with Jay Z): $75.6M – 68 shows in 2011/2012
- The Saint Pablo Total Gross: $52.8 million – 41 performances in 2016
- Total Gross for The Yeezus: $31.8M – 45 shows in 2013
- Glow in the Dark Total Gross: $30.8M – 88 shows in 2008
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What are Kanye West’s business ventures worth?
Looking at the music section above, it is clear that Kanye West’s extremely successful musical career is insufficient to explain his current net worth. Let us now turn our attention to his various business ventures.
His most profitable venture is in the fashion industry. His fully owned brand, Yeezy, has secured several high-profile collaborations with major brands, including:
Adidas sales of sneakers and apparel generated over $1.7 billion in 2020, earning Kanye West $191 million in royalties.
According to Bloomberg, his 10-year contract with American apparel company Gap was valued at between $3.2 and $4.7 billion by investment bank UBS.
However, Forbes magazine recently disputed that figure, estimating his total net worth at $2.0 billion.
Kanye West also has an undisclosed but minor stake in Skims, his ex-clothing wife’s company that was recently valued at $3.2 billion.
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