Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who married in a lavish ceremony in Italy in May 2014, have been dogged for months by reports in the gossip press that their marriage was on the rocks
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who married in a lavish ceremony in Italy in May 2014, have been dogged for months by reports in the gossip press that their marriage was on the rocks AFP / Jean-Baptiste Lacroix

Kanye West, the famous rapper and entrepreneur, just turned 44 years old on Tuesday. After establishing himself as one of the biggest icons in the rap scene and building a fashion empire, how much is Kim Kardashian's ex-husband worth today?

Reports swirled in March that West's net worth was $6.6 billion, allegedly making him the richest Black person in the U.S. However, the claim has been debunked by Forbes, saying that it lacked context and used future-generated earnings instead of current worth. Nonetheless, the outlet estimated his worth to be $1.8 billion, which still makes him one of the richest rap icons in the world.

West was the second-highest paid celebrity in 2020. He has sold more than 21 million records and posted over 100 million digital downloads. However, most of his wealth stems from his transition from one of the top musicians worldwide, winning 21 out of 69 Grammy nominations, to an entrepreneur.

West’s Yeezy sneaker and apparel empire is valued at $3.2 billion to $4.7 billion, Bloomberg noted. It is estimated to have earned at least $100 million per year in royalties from the Adidas partnership. The Gap partnership could be valued at $970 million in total.

Another major factor in West’s massive fortune is his love for real estate. In a 2018 interview, he said he wanted to become one of the biggest real estate developers of all time. Before his divorce from Kardashian, the couple lived in a $60 million home in Calabasas, California.

He is currently living in a 4,524-acre ranch in Wyoming that stretches more than seven miles.

After seven years of marriage, Kardashian filed for divorce on Feb. 19 and asked for joint physical and legal custody of their four children. The separation resulted in West’s ex-wife gaining ownership of their $20 million Los Angeles pad, as per the New York Post.

Kanye West, pictured here in 2019, is among the minor candidates running for US president

Kanye West, pictured here in 2019, is among the minor candidates running for US president Photo: AFP / Angela Weiss