IT’S the billion dollar question: just how rich actually is Kanye West?
The controversial rapper sparked fury today as he launched a vile tirade labelling himself a “Nazi”, while taunting fans to “give that money back” and doubling down on claims he is a billionaire again.
Kanye West has taunted fans in a shocking ‘Nazi’ rant and doubled down on his ‘billionaire’ boasts[/caption]
West’s Malibu mansion was abandoned in 2023[/caption]
He was spotted last week in LA taking his chrome Mercedes out for a spin[/caption]
In the sick diatribe, he also claimed to “own” wife Bianca Censori, hitting back at critics by ranting: “SHE’S WITH A BILLIONAIRE, WHY WOULD SHE LISTEN TO ANY OF YOU?”
It was the latest outburst in a week that has stunned fans, following the fallout from Bianca’s infamous Grammys appearance in an ‘invisible’ dress and a rambling interview where he claimed to have lost $2billion in a single day.
The revelations came just days after he claimed to be worth $2.77billion, sparking speculation that he had rapidly rebuilt his empire after being dropped by a raft of brands including Adidas.
The sportswear giant cut ties with the mogul, now known as Ye, after he was widely condemned over anti-Semitic comments made in 2022, which were described as “hateful” and “inexcusable”.
But as he risks further damage to his business empire today with another sick tirade, mystery swirls around whether his claims of regaining his “billionaire” status are genuine or another publicity stunt.
Speaking to The Sun, those close to the rapper, 47, claim he has desperately trying to claw back his lost millions in recent years.
Another source close to Kanye told The Sun: “Ye has never not been rich, but his net worth did drop dramatically when Adidas decided to pull the plug.
“He lost a lot in a short amount of time, but he never considered for a second that he wouldn’t get it all back again. That’s just how his mind works.”
Despite cutting ties with huge brands, Kanye has certainly continued to rake in huge sums from his music, including millions from ‘listening parties’ alone, while his clothing brand Yeezy has proved a reliable hit.
But having battled to clear a staggering $53million in debt while repairs to abandoned mansions, unpaid tax bills and lawsuits pile up, questions about Kanye’s handle on his rollercoaster finances continue to mount.
Kanye and his wife Bianca Censori grabbed headlines at the Grammys[/caption]
He claims he lost $2billion in a day after his split from Adidas[/caption]
Kanye’s bizarre behavior included covering his face last summer[/caption]
Back in 2022 the rapper’s business ventures seemed to be doomed when Adidas cut ties with Yeezy.
Sources say the mogul was determined to rebuild Yeezy and release new music, but his behavior is often still erratic, particularly when it comes to the treatment of wife Bianca.
In concerning comments today, he declared: “I HAVE DOMINION OVER MY WIFE THIS AINT NO WOKE AS FEMINIST S***.
“YES I DONT MAKE HER DO NOTHING SHE DOESNT WANT TO BUT SHE DEFINITELY WOULDNT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT MY APPROVAL.”
Former employees have hit out at his behavior too and began filing civil lawsuits in the years after he was canceled, with around a dozen still going through the courts.
In May 2023, it was reported that Adidas filed a legal action in federal court that successfully froze $75million in bank accounts held by the Yeezy brand.
Kanye revealed on The Download podcast this week that he struggled to pay for things, while pal Justin LaBoy claimed he picked up his tab in a restaurant.
LaBoy said on the episode it was the first time he’d known a billionaire not to have access to his own money.
Hardest year
While the rapper has always had die-hard fans, many abandoned him after his rants in 2022 and some even started burning their Yeezy sneakers.
One man in Florida, Danny Shiff, said he had destroyed around 40 pairs worth approximately $15,000 after Kanye’s remarks about the Jewish community.
It was a bad year for the musician, as he was also going through a public divorce from the mother of his four children, Kim Kardashian.
They split some of their assets, and court records showed he agreed to pay her $200,000 a month in child support when the divorce was finalized that November.
Parting ways with Adidas over his rants was something that Kanye insisted he wanted in the long run, as he was frustrated with not having creative control.
Kanye is paying ex-wfie Kim Kardashian $200,000 a month in child support[/caption]
Kanye with his daughter North[/caption]
The source told us: “He’s been open about the fact he felt he spiraled because he had no creative freedom.
“In a way, he was happy he managed to legally get out of every contract he had. But then he had to start from scratch.
“Ye is known as a creative genius, but he’s not a great businessman, and it’s not been an easy ride.”
After his split with Adidas, he still owned the Yeezy name and its intellectual property, and was able to release new products and work with other brands.
Although many longtime friends and collaborators stuck by him, there were also plenty who shunned the controversial rapper.
Money makers
Kanye later revealed he lost his billionaire status around this time, but he was far from broke.
He has always earned royalties from his previous hit albums and had a property portfolio including lavish homes and ranches.
He also owns a five per cent stake in Skims, the shapewear brand he co-founded with his ex-wife Kim, which was most recently valued at $4billion.
But sources say he was determined to become a billionaire once again.
In mid-2023, The Sun exclusively revealed that Kanye had tapped up disgraced American Apparel founder Dov Charney to work with Yeezy as he tried to rebuild the brand.
He bought a $6.7million property in West Hollywood, which he planned to turn into a Yeezy HQ.
Ye is known as a creative genius, but he’s not a great businessman, and it’s not been an easy ride
Staff were briefly seen working on sewing machines at the building – but he later shut down the operation and had construction workers tear the roof off.
More than a year after construction began at the property, The Sun can confirm it remains empty, and without a roof.
The entrance is now mostly boarded up and debris and piles of materials can be seen inside, echoing his infamous abandoned $57million Malibu mansion, which he listed for sale last year.
It’s believed a lot of the Yeezy clothing is produced at a space in Downtown Los Angeles by Los Angeles Apparel, a company owned by Charney, who is now the CEO of Yeezy.
Shocking hit
Kanye’s recent album used a racist slur[/caption]
Kanye used to party with disgraced music mogul Sean Combs[/caption]
At the end of 2023, Kanye spent time in Italy and then Saudi Arabia as he recorded new music for his Vultures album.
And over the past year, the star appears to have made a steady return.
His Vultures record with Ty Dolla $ign was released independently in February 2024 and was a huge success, despite one song featuring the racist and sexist lyrics, “How I’m antisemitic / I just f***ed a Jewish b***h.”
It spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, and reportedly made millions of dollars.
Despite criticism for not performing live, Kanye’s sporadic, rave-style listening parties also reportedly banked him more than $12million.
He won’t listen to anybody, and is always on his own timeline
He later released Vultures 2 and has since been working on his hotly-anticipated next album, Bully.
During his chat with LaBoy, he claimed the record would finally drop on his daughter North West’s birthday in June.
But a source said fans still may have to wait a while.
They say: “There have been many changes, and it’s no secret it takes Ye a long time to finally be happy with a record and release it to the world.
“He won’t listen to anybody, and is always on his own timeline.”
Billionaire boasts
Kanye continues to release new Yeezy products on his website, all now priced at $20.
He spent $7million on a Superbowl ad for his brand in 2024, telling fans he shot it on his iPhone with zero budget. It reportedly led to $19million in sales on his website.
He has also previewed a new sneaker called the BL-01 to coincide with his album release.
Although it’s hard to know exactly how many millions Kanye has in the bank, he claims to have clawed back his billionaire status.
He shared a message from Eton Venture Services at the beginning of this year, which read: “In 2025, Ye’s net worth stands at $2.77billion as confirmed by Eton Venture Services.
“The valuation is based on his music portfolio and his sole ownership of the Yeezy mark.”
Bianca Censori and Kanye West’s relationship
Bianca Censori was born on January 5, 1995, in Melbourne, Australia
Before her current full-time job, the 30-year-old started a jewelry company called Nylons after leaving high school.
After working as a student architect for three years, she completed a master’s degree between 2019 and 2020 ahead of moving to Los Angeles.
In a radio interview, a childhood friend of Bianca’s claimed that Kanye slid into her DMs on Instagram.
The rapper reportedly said, “Come and work for me.”
At which point she says the designer moved to LA to join his company Yeezy as the “head of architecture” – and has been since November 2020.
WEDDING BELLS
On Friday, October 6, 2023, The Daily Mail reported Kanye and Bianca wed on December 20, 2022.
The couple tied the knot under a “confidential marriage license” in the state of California.
The two wed in Palo Alto, California, according to the document.
The wedding came just one month after Kanye and Kim Kardashian finalized their divorce.
A source told us that since returning from Toyko, where he has been holed up for much of the last year, Kanye has been out and about in public a lot, dining in swanky restaurants and buying expensive jewelry.
A lot more famous faces are supporting him again, with him recently linking up with A$AP Rocky back in LA and the likes of Travis Scott and will.i.am attended his Grammys after-party.
Another insider, who previously worked for the star and attended the party, said he’s also getting a lot more support because of his attitude.
“Everyone thinks he’s back because he asserts himself as a billionaire again, without the help of Adidas, Gap, or Sony,” they said.
Legal threats
But Kanye still has a bumpy road ahead of him when it comes to lawsuits and his finances.
The Sun previously revealed his former assistant, Lauren Pisciotta, is desperate to serve him papers months after suing him for sexual harassment and wrongful termination.
Her legal team accused him of evading the lawsuit as he remained in Japan.
He lost a lot in a short amount of time, but he never considered for a second that he wouldn’t get it all back again
Other ex-employees are waiting for him to hire new legal representation for their lawsuits – some of which were filed years ago.
Filings also show Kanye owes more than $1million in back taxes, while some of his properties in Los Angeles have been left to rot.
A former staff member who is still close to him says: “He’s told everyone he’s a billionaire again, and even his Insta bio is now 2.77 referring to his net worth. He’s focused on both promoting his brand and getting his album out.”
Lauren Pisciotta is suing Kanye[/caption]
