Kanye West Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Title: Kanye West Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: November 27, 2024
Kanye West’s net worth: what is it?
With a net worth of $400 million, Kanye West is recognized as an American producer, rapper, fashion designer, and entrepreneur. At one point, he was a multi-billionaire and ranked among the three richest self-made black individuals in US history. Kanye rose to prominence following the 2004 release of his album The College Dropout. Currently, he stands out as one of the most successful and awarded artists globally, boasting 24 Grammy wins from 75 nominations. In recent times, he has shifted his focus from music to business, generating a minimum of $100 million annually from various activities. Most of his income stems from royalties and earnings tied to his Yeezy brand and collaboration with Adidas. However, his controversial statements and views have led to the loss of numerous sponsorships and partnerships in the last few years.
Kanye fully owns the Yeezy apparel line, holding 100% ownership. His collaboration with Adidas allowed him to earn royalties from every dollar generated in revenue. The Yeezy brand produced $2 billion in annual revenue, contributing $250 million in profit for Adidas. At the height of his collaboration with Adidas, the Yeezy brand was estimated to possess a value between $4 billion and $5 billion.
A UBS valuation in March 2021 predicted that Yeezy would contribute $3-4 billion to Kanye’s net worth. Additionally, the same report indicated that his former partnership with The Gap previously added $1 billion to his net worth.
In our mid-2021 evaluation of Kanye West’s net worth, we took into account the following assets and liabilities:
Assets:
- $120 million in real estate holdings
- $80 million from his music catalogue, inclusive of G.O.O.D Music
- $100 million for Yeezy.com
- $5 billion attributed to the Yeezy brand
- $1 billion from the partnership with Gap
- $400 million in cash, equities, and additional assets
Total assets = $6.7 billion
Liabilities and other factors = $100 million
Net Worth = $6.6 billion
Career Beginnings and Early Life
Kanye Omari West entered the world on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia. Following his parents’ divorce at the age of three, he relocated to Chicago, Illinois with his mother. It was there he began to explore music after encountering producer/DJ No I.D., who offered him mentorship. He received a scholarship
In 1997, he enrolled at the American Academy of Art but later transferred to Chicago State University to major in English. Ultimately, at the age of 20, he decided to withdraw from school to chase his passion for music.
After leaving college, West started creating beats for local artists while he refined his unique style. His first official production credit came in 1996 for Chicago rapper Grave’s debut album, Down to Earth. During this period, he also produced tracks for various artists, including Foxy Brown, Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie, and Harlem World.
Rise to Fame and Music Career
West received his significant opportunity in 2000 when he began his work as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, collaborating with artists such as Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson. His contribution to Jay-Z’s 2001 album The Blueprint sparked substantial interest in West’s production abilities. The roster of artists he produced during this era includes luminaries like Jay-Z, Beyoncé, John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson.
Even with his success in production, West’s primary aspiration was to become a rapper. In 2001, after being rejected by Capitol Records, he successfully persuaded the head of Capitol to sign him to Roc-A-Fella Records.
Following a severe car accident in October 2002 that resulted in a broken jaw, West found motivation in his adversity and recorded Through the Wire with his jaw still wired shut. This track laid the groundwork for his debut album, The College Dropout, which was leaked months prior to its official release in August 2003. During this time, West utilized the opportunity to remix, remaster, and edit the album, leading to its release being postponed three times. Ultimately, The College Dropout was released in February 2004, garnering widespread critical acclaim and earning him 10 Grammy nominations, eventually achieving triple platinum certification in the US.
As he embarked on his second album, West invested two million dollars into its production and even recruited a live string orchestra. Late Registration debuted in August 2005 and sold over 2.3 million copies in the USA by year-end. Among his later albums are Graduation (2007), 808s & Heartbreak (2008), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), the collaborative album with Jay-Z Watch the Throne (2011), Yeezus (2013), The Life of Pablo (2016), Ye (2018), the collaboration with Kid Cudi Kids See Ghosts (2018), Jesus is King (2019), and Donda (2021).
The album Yeezus was released by West in 2013, reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 chart in addition to topping the US R&B and US Rap charts and achieving success in four other nations. Following this, The Life of Pablo was launched in 2016, securing the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 and #2 on the US Rap and R&B charts. His single “FourFiveSeconds,” featuring Rihanna and Paul McCartney, topped the US R&B chart. He was nominated for six Grammy Awards in 2017. West’s follow-up album, Ye, launched in June 2018, regrettably became the first album of Kanye’s to miss platinum certification.
Apart from his discography, West has maintained his role as a producer and featured artist for a variety of musicians, including 6ix9ine, XXXTentacion, Lil Pump, Chance the Rapper, Kid Cudi, and Teyana Taylor. His music-related endeavors also encompass his weekly “Sunday Service” with the Sunday Service Choir, held every Sunday since January 2019. Additionally, he partnered with contemporary artist Vanessa Beecroft to create two operas, 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
Fashion has long been an interest of West, who made history as the first non-athlete to secure a shoe deal with Nike, launching the Air Yeezys sneaker in 2009. He has collaborated in footwear design with Louis Vuitton, Bape, and Giuseppe Zanotti, and he launched two clothing lines during Paris Fashion Week in 2011 and 2012.
In December 2013, the new shoe collaboration deal with Adidas was officially announced. The Yeezy Boost 750 sneaker debuted in “Light Brown” on February 14, 2015, initially available only on the Adidas mobile app to residents of New York City, and it sold out in less than 10 minutes. By December 2017, a total of 19 colors and six designs had emerged from the collaboration between Adidas and Yeezy. Season 1 of West’s Yeezy clothing line debuted in 2015, followed quickly by Season 2 later that year, and Season 3 in February 2016.
Following the initial success of these projects, Adidas announced a long-term partnership with West in June 2016. Typically, he receives a 10% royalty on net revenues generated by Adidas. For merchandise sold on his own site, YeezySupply.com, he earns a considerably higher royalty compared to sales on Adidas.com, with an overall blended average royalty rate at about 10%.
As of now, it is important to point out that Kanye wholly owns the Yeezy apparel line.
G.O.O.D Music
Kanye established G.O.O.D Music, a record label and production company, in 2004 in partnership with Sony BMG. The acronym “G.O.O.D” stands for “getting out our dreams,” and the label has artists including West himself, John Legend, Common, Big Sean, Pusha T, Q-Tip, Kacy Hill, and Teyana Taylor signed to it.
Other Assets and Philanthropy
In addition to his music ventures, Kanye owns KW Foods LLC., which holds the rights to the Fatburger fast-food chain in Chicago. He announced the formation of DONDA, a creative content company named after his mother, Donda West, in January 2012. West also co-owns Tidal, a music streaming service, alongside prominent artists like Jay-Z, Rihanna, Madonna, Chris Martin, and Nicki Minaj, with each stakeholder possessing a 3% equity stake.
His philanthropic efforts include establishing the Kanye West Foundation, which focuses on education for Latino and African American children, along with contributions of time, money, and talent to various causes such as Hurricane Katrina relief, World Water Day, and Live Earth. In June 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Kanye donated $2 million, distributing it between the Floyd family and other victims of police violence, including Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.
Real Estate
Kanye West possesses approximately $100 million in real estate across the United States, encompassing land, buildings, and various homes. Here’s a summary of his most significant real estate transactions.
Throughout their marriage, the primary residence of Kim and Kanye was a vast estate located in Hidden Hills, California. This property includes several interconnected parcels, the first of which they purchased in 2014 in two different deals summing to $23 million. Initially, their estate featured a newly constructed mansion on 4.5 acres. Over the years, the couple invested millions customizing, rearranging, and expanding the residence. In 2019, they acquired two additional properties to extend their estate into a combined 7.5-acre property. In total, they have spent an astonishing $28.5 million on real estate transactions to develop the Hidden Hills estate. Additional renovations have cost tens of millions more. Presently, the estate is assessed at over $60 million. In September 2021, Kim compensated Kanye with $23 million to transfer the property officially under her name, with roughly $3 million allocated for the interior’s furnishings.
In September 2021, Kanye purchased a beachfront home in Malibu for $57.3 million. The residence, designed by Tadao Ando, was constructed in 2013 for Wall Street businessman Richard Sachs, who spent seven years securing permits and completing the build. The finished dwelling spans 4,000 square feet and consists of 1,200 tons of concrete, 200 tons of steel, and 12 pylons driven 60 feet deep into the beachfront. Sachs listed the property for $75 million in 2020. However, Kanye never took up residence and instead placed the house on the market in December 2023 for $53 million. The listing agent indicated that prospective buyers should anticipate investing “several million dollars” to make the property habitable following Kanye’s incomplete construction efforts. Check out the drone video showcasing the Malibu mansion:
Additional real estate holdings comprise:
- A 320-acre estate on Stokes Canyon Road in Calabasas valued at $16 million, which has hosted his Sunday Services and was the site of an ambitious but thwarted project to erect a series of dome structures, halted by the LA County Building Commission due to permit issues.
- A 6,700-acre property named Bighorn Mountain Ranch in Wyoming, worth $15 million.
- A commercial property in Cody, Wyoming, valued at $2 million.
- Kanye West has reclaimed his childhood home in Chicago, completing its restoration in 2023.
In late 2019, Kanye invested $14 million in an additional Wyoming ranch named Monster Lake Ranch, which he sold in June 2024.
Personal Life
West engaged in an on-and-off romantic relationship with designer Alexis Phifer from 2002 to 2008. Following this, he was in a relationship with model Amber Rose from 2008 to 2010. He began dating reality television star Kim Kardashian in April 2012, marrying her in May 2014. The couple has four children together but divorced in 2022. Kanye briefly dated actress/model Julia Fox in 2022.
It was reported in January 2023 that Kanye and Australian architect Bianca Censori had entered into an informal marriage through a private ceremony in Beverly Hills.
Kanye successfully petitioned to change his legal name to “Ye” in October 2021.
Kanye West Net Worth 2019
Here’s how we arrived at Kanye West’s 2019 net worth of $600 million:
Assets:
- Real estate holdings = $120 million
- Music catalog including G.O.O.D Music = $80 million
- Yeezy brand valuation = $500 million
- Other various assets = $20 million
Total assets = $720 million
Liabilities and other factors = $100 million
2019 Net Worth = $600 million (with a conservative estimation error margin of $20 million)
Kanye West Net Worth (Money & Salary)
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The data is sourced from 2023 and 2024, with forecasts extending into 2025 and 2026. We also broaden the forecast range to include 2027 and 2028.
* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:
Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.
Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Post Title: Kanye West Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: November 27, 2024