Kanye West’s Family, Relationships, and Friends: The Full Story

Kanye West was a major figure in music, business, and fashion. Throughout his life, he spoke about the impact of family and relationships, both in interviews and music. He had strong bonds with friends, and his life often made headlines for both his art and his connections with others.

Family Life and Upbringing

Kanye Omari West was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Ray and Donda West. After his parents separated, he moved with his mother to Chicago. Donda West, an English professor, raised him and managed his early career. Ray West worked as a photojournalist.

West married Kim Kardashian in 2014. Kim is a television personality and entrepreneur. They met in the early 2010s and became friends before starting a romantic relationship. The wedding took place in Florence, Italy, in May 2014.

The couple had four children: North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm. North was born in 2013, Saint in 2015, Chicago in 2018, and Psalm in 2019. North and Saint are their biological children, while Chicago and Psalm were born via surrogate.

Donda West, his mother, was also deeply involved in his career and life until her passing in 2007.

Name	Relation	Birth Year
Ray West	Father	1949
Donda West	Mother	1949
North West	Daughter	2013
Saint West	Son	2015
Chicago West	Daughter	2018
Psalm West	Son	2019
Kim Kardashian	Spouse	1980

Relationships Through the Years

Kanye West’s romantic relationships often made headlines. Starting in the early 2000s, he dated designer Alexis Phifer. They got engaged in 2006 after a few years together but ended the engagement in 2008.

Later, he dated model Amber Rose. Their relationship lasted from 2008 to 2010 and ended due to public disagreements and differing interests.

He married Kim Kardashian in 2014, but their relationship ended when Kim filed for divorce in February 2021. In 2022, Kanye briefly dated actress Julia Fox. The relationship lasted only one month, ending in February 2022.

Kanye’s romantic life was often in the public eye, and his partners were often celebrities in their own right.

Name	Relationship Type	Time Period
Alexis Phifer	Ex-fiancée	~2002–2008
Amber Rose	Ex-girlfriend	2008–2010
Julia Fox	Ex-girlfriend	2022 (1 month)

Friends and Connections

Kanye West counted many successful musicians and public figures as friends. One of his earliest and closest friends was Jay-Z, whom he met as a young producer. Their friendship grew while making music together, and they worked on several major albums, including Watch the Throne.

He also formed a strong connection with Kid Cudi. They started as collaborators and remained close, though their friendship had ups and downs over the years.

Another important figure in his circle was Virgil Abloh. Abloh, a fashion designer, worked with Kanye before becoming the Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton. Their friendship started through collaborations in Chicago, and they often acknowledged each other’s influence.

Some friendships did end. There were public disagreements between Kanye and Jay-Z in later years, but they publicly reunited after a period of tension.

Name	Known Since	Profession
Jay-Z	Early 2000s	Rapper, Producer
Kid Cudi	Late 2000s	Rapper, Musician
Virgil Abloh	Early 2000s	Fashion Designer