Kanye Omari West ( born June 8, 1977), is an American recording artist, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur. Raised in Chicago, West first became known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing hit singles for artists such as Jay Z and Alicia Keys. Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper, West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread critical and commercial success. He went on to pursue a variety of different styles on subsequent albums including Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007), and the polarizing 808s & Heartbreak (2008). more