Kanye West

As the prolific musician behind two massively successful hip-hop albums -- The College Dropout and Late Registration -- Kanye West has long-since established himself as a force to be reckoned with. Though he’s only a few years into his career, Kanye has already won a host of Grammys and his songs -- like “Jesus Walks” and “Gold Digger” -- have become entrenched within the pop culture landscape. Kanye’s also experienced his share of controversies, with his infamous “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” statement at a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina relief being the most obvious example.
Behind the scenes

In addition to his relentless recording and touring schedule, Kanye remains an active producer on the hip-hop scene. Having received his start by working with performers such as Alicia Keys, Jay-Z and Janet Jackson, Kanye’s connections within the industry have resulted in the formation of his own record label. Called GOOD Music (GOOD being an acronym for Getting Out Our Dreams), the label features artists like Common and John Legend on its roster, and Kanye continues to discover and nurture up-and-coming acts that he feels have the potential to be something great. He’s also starting his own clothing line called Pastelle Clothing, which is set to make its debut sometime this fall.
On the horizon

Having taken home a trio of statues at the recent Grammy Awards ceremony, Kanye is keeping a relatively low profile. He is currently hard at work on his follow-up to Late Registration -- the appropriately titled Graduation -- and he has lent his vocals to The Game’s upcoming sophomore effort.

Kanye’s personal life has recently taken a turn for the better, following his engagement to his long-time girlfriend, Alexis.