Kanye West Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Kanye West’s net worth?

Kanye West, an American producer, rapper, fashion designer, and entrepreneur, has an estimated net worth of $400 million. At one point, when Kanye was a multi-billionaire, he ranked among the three richest self-made Black individuals in US history. His rise to fame began with the release of his 2004 album The College Dropout. Today, he stands as one of the most successful and awarded musicians globally, boasting 24 Grammy wins from 75 nominations. In recent years, he has transitioned from music to the business sector, generating a minimum of $100 million annually from various ventures. A significant portion of his wealth has been derived from royalties and other income linked to his Yeezy brand and partnership with Adidas. However, his controversial opinions and public statements have led to the loss of numerous sponsors and affiliations over the last few years.

Kanye fully owns the Yeezy apparel line, holding a 100% stake. During his collaboration with Adidas, he earned a royalty for each revenue dollar generated. The Yeezy brand accounted for an impressive $2 billion in annual revenue, yielding $250 million in profit for Adidas. At the height of his deal with Adidas, the Yeezy brand’s estimated worth soared to between $4 and $5 billion.

In March 2021, a valuation by UBS suggested that Yeezy would contribute an additional $3-4 billion to Kanye’s net worth. This same report indicated that his previous agreement with The Gap had previously valued at an added $1 billion to West’s financial standing.

In our evaluation of Kanye West’s net worth in mid-2021, the following assets and liabilities were taken into account:

Assets:

• Real estate holdings = $120 million
• Music catalog, including G.O.O.D Music = $80 million
• Valuation of Yeezy.com = $100 million
• Yeezy brand valuation = $5 billion
• Gap partnership valuation = $1 billion
• Cash, equities, and other assets = $400 million

Total assets = $6.7 billion

Liabilities and other considerations = $100 million

Net Worth = $6.6 billion

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Kanye Omari West was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia. After his parents divorced when he was three, he relocated with his mother to Chicago, Illinois. There, he began to explore music after encountering producer/DJ No I.D., who became his mentor. He received a scholarship

In 1997, he enrolled in the American Academy of Art but later switched to Chicago State University to focus on English studies. Ultimately, at the age of 20, he decided to leave school to follow his passion for music.

Following his departure from college, West began crafting beats for local artists while perfecting his own sound. His initial production credits came from the debut album of Chicago rapper Grave, titled Down to Earth, released in 1996. During this time, he also worked with artists like Foxy Brown, Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie, and Harlem World.

Rise to Fame and Music Career

West’s major breakthrough occurred in 2000 when he joined Roc-A-Fella Records as a producer, collaborating with notable artists such as Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson. His contributions to Jay-Z’s 2001 album The Blueprint sparked considerable interest in West’s production skills. His production credits during this era feature a remarkable list of artists including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson.

Despite achieving significant success in production, West aspired to be a rapper. In 2001, after being turned down by Capitol Records, he successfully persuaded the head of the label to sign him to Roc-A-Fella Records.

In October 2002, after suffering a severe car accident that left him with a shattered jaw, West found inspiration and recorded the song Through the Wire while his jaw was still wired shut. This track set the stage for his debut album, The College Dropout, which had leaked months before its planned release in August 2003. He used this interval to remix, remaster, and refashion the album, leading to its postponement three times before its eventual launch in February 2004, which was met with widespread critical acclaim and garnered him 10 Grammy Award nominations, ultimately achieving triple platinum certification in the US.

As he started working on his second album, West poured two million dollars into the production, even bringing in a live string orchestra. Late Registration was released in August 2005, and by the year’s end, it had sold over 2.3 million units in the United States. His following albums include Graduation (2007), 808s & Heartbreak (2008), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), a collaborative project with Jay-Z titled Watch the Throne (2011), Yeezus (2013), The Life of Pablo (2016), Ye (2018), a collaboration with Kid Cudi named Kids See Ghosts (2018), Jesus is King (2019), and Donda (2021).

West released Yeezus in 2013, which topped the Billboard 200 chart as well as the US R&B and US Rap charts, achieving similar success in four other nations. His album The Life of Pablo, launched in 2016, also topped the Billboard 200 chart and secured the second position on both the US Rap and US R&B charts. The single “FourFiveSeconds,” featuring Rihanna and Paul McCartney, reached #1 on the US R&B chart. In 2017, he garnered six Grammy nominations. The following album, Ye, released in June 2018, marked the first time in Kanye’s career that an album failed to reach platinum status.

Besides his solo albums and projects, West has remained active as a producer and featured artist for various musicians, including 6ix9ine, XXXTentacion, Lil Pump, Chance the Rapper, Kid Cudi, and Teyana Taylor. He has also been involved in music-related initiatives such as his weekly “Sunday Service” orchestration with the Sunday Service Choir, which has performed every Sunday since January 2019. Additionally, he collaborated with contemporary artist Vanessa Beecroft on two opera productions, Nebuchadnezzar and Mary.

Kanye West Earnings By Year:
Year	Earnings
2007	$17,000,000
2008	$30,000,000
2009	$25,000,000
2010	$12,000,000
2011	$16,000,000
2012	$35,000,000
2013	$20,000,000
2014	$30,000,000
2015	$22,000,000
2016	$18,000,000
2017	$22,000,000
2018	$90,000,000
2019	$100,000,000
2020	$200,000,000
2021	$100,000,000
2022	$100,000,000
Total:	$637,000,000

Yeezy

Kanye West has consistently demonstrated a passion for fashion, becoming the first non-athlete to secure a shoe deal with Nike when he launched the 2009 Air Yeezys. He has collaborated on footwear designs with brands like Louis Vuitton, Bape, and Giuseppe Zanotti, as well as debuting two clothing lines during Paris Fashion Week in 2011 and 2012.

The collaboration between Adidas and West was formally introduced in December 2013. The Yeezy Boost 750 sneaker, released in “Light Brown,” marked its debut on February 14, 2015, initially available only through the Adidas mobile app for New York City customers, and it sold out in mere minutes. By December 2017, the Adidas and Yeezy partnership had produced a total of 19 color options and six designs. West’s Yeezy clothing line with Adidas premiered its first season in 2015, followed by Season 2 later that same year and Season 3 in February 2016.

Due to the triumphant response to his initial product launches, Adidas secured a long-term agreement with West in June 2016. Typically, Kanye receives a royalty of around 10% on net revenues from Adidas sales. His earnings are even higher for merchandise sold via his own platform, YeezySupply.com, compared to Adidas.com. His average royalty rate is approximately 10% across the board.

It’s important to note that as of now, Kanye holds full ownership of the Yeezy apparel line.

G.O.O.D Music

Kanye established the record label and production company G.O.O.D Music in 2004 in partnership with Sony BMG. The acronym “G.O.O.D” stands for “getting out our dreams.” Signed artists include West, John Legend, Common, Big Sean, Pusha T, Q-Tip, Kacy Hill, and Teyana Taylor.

Other Assets and Philanthropy

He also founded KW Foods LLC., which holds the rights to the Fatburger fast-food franchise in Chicago. In January 2012, West revealed the launch of DONDA, a creative content company named in honor of his late mother, Donda West. Additionally, he co-owns the music streaming service Tidal alongside other musicians like Jay-Z, Rihanna, Madonna, Chris Martin, and Nicki Minaj, with most stakeholders possessing a 3% equity stake.

Kanye is also involved in various philanthropic activities through the Kanye West Foundation, aimed at enhancing education for African American and Latino children, along with providing support for Hurricane Katrina relief, World Water Day, and Live Earth, among other initiatives. In June 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Kanye contributed $2 million, distributed between the Floyd family and other victims of police violence, including Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.

Real Estate

In the United States, Kanye West possesses approximately $100 million in real estate (including land, buildings, and residences). The following outlines his most significant real estate transactions.

While married, Kim and Kanye resided in a vast estate located in Hidden Hills, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. This estate comprises several interconnected parcels, the first of which was purchased in 2014 through two separate deals for $23 million. Initially, their property showcased a newly constructed mansion occupying 4.5 acres. Over numerous years, the couple invested millions customizing, rearranging, and adding to the home. In 2019, they expanded their estate by acquiring two adjoining properties, transforming it into a massive 7.5-acre estate. The total expenditure on real estate deals to establish the Hidden Hills estate has reached an astounding $28.5 million, with tens of millions more dedicated to renovations. The estate’s current assessed value exceeds $60 million. In September 2021, Kim transferred the property into her name, paying Kanye $23 million, of which approximately $3 million was allocated for the home’s furnishings.

Kanye purchased a beachfront residence in Malibu in September 2021 for $57.3 million. Designed by Tadao Ando, the home was originally built in 2013 for Wall Street tycoon Richard Sachs, who took seven years to obtain permits and complete construction. Encompassing 4,000 square feet, the mansion utilizes 1,200 tons of concrete, 200 tons of steel, and features 12 pylons embedded 60 feet into the sand. In 2020, Sachs listed the property for $75 million. However, Kanye did not move in and instead listed it for $53 million in December 2023. According to the listing agent, potential buyers should be prepared to invest “several million dollars” to make the house habitable due to Kanye’s unfinished renovations. Below is a drone video tour of the Malibu mansion:

Additional real estate holdings comprise:

• A 320-acre estate located on Stokes Canyon Road in Calabasas, valued at $16 million. This site has hosted his Sunday Services and was intended for a series of dome-shaped structures before being halted by the LA County Building Commission due to permit issues.
• A 6,700-acre ranch, known as Bighorn Mountain Ranch in Wyoming, valued at $15 million.
• A commercial property in Cody, Wyoming, worth $2 million.
• Kanye also retains ownership of his childhood residence in Chicago, which he completed restoration on in 2023.

Kanye acquired another ranch in Wyoming, named Monster Lake Ranch, for $14 million in late 2019. He sold this ranch in June 2024.

Personal Life

Between 2002 and 2008, West had an intermittent relationship with designer Alexis Phifer. From 2008 to 2010, he was involved with model Amber Rose. In April 2012, he began a relationship with reality TV star Kim Kardashian, and they wed in May 2014. The couple shares four children and divorced in 2022. For a short period in 2022, Kanye dated actress/model Julia Fox.

Reports in January 2023 indicated that Kanye and Australian architect Bianca Censori had an informal marriage in a private ceremony in Beverly Hills.

In October 2021, Kanye received approval to change his legal name to “Ye.”

Kanye West Net Worth 2019

Here’s how we calculated Kanye West’s net worth in 2019, estimated at $600 million:

Assets:

• Real estate holdings = $120 million
• Music catalog, including G.O.O.D. Music = $80 million
• Yeezy brand valuation = $500 million
• Other assets = $20 million

Total assets = $720 million

Liabilities and other factors = $100 million

2019 Net Worth = $600 million (factoring in a conservative $20 million error margin)