Kanye Omari West ( ) (born June 8 1977 Atlanta, Georgia) is an American record producer and is a multiple Grammy Award-winning rapper and singer who rose to fame in the mid 2000s. He released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004, his second album Late Registration in 2005, and his third album Graduation in 2007. His first three albums have received numerous awards (including nine Grammys), critical acclaim, and commercial success. West also runs his own record label GOOD Music. West's mascot and trademark is a teddy bear, which has appeared on the covers of his three albums as well as the single cover for his song "Stronger."

Kanye West is a hip-hop producer and rapper (born June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia). He first gained popularity producing tracks for popular artists such as Jay-Z , John Legend , Common , The Game , Twista , Talib Kweli and Alicia Keys . In 2004 he released his first solo album, The College Dropout , and has since released Late Registration (2005) and, most recently, Graduation (2007). He is noted for his politically-charged rhymes and controversial behavior both inside and outside the realms of