Ye, born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Chicago, Illinois, began his career as a hip-hop producer in the late 1990s. He gained prominence producing tracks for Jay-Z's The Blueprint (2001) and other artists including Alicia Keys and Beyoncé before transitioning to rapping. His debut album The College Dropout (2004) featured soul-sampled beats and introspective lyrics on tracks like 'Jesus Walks,' earning Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song. Subsequent releases such as Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), Yeezus (2013), and Ye (2018) showcased evolving styles from orchestral sampling to minimalist electronics, with multiple albums debuting at number one and accumulating over 20 Grammy Awards, including several for Best Rap Song. He founded GOOD Music label and legally changed his name to Ye in 2021. Ye's live performances emphasize elaborate stage production, choir arrangements, and high-energy delivery, as seen in tours supporting Graduation and Donda (2021).