Mogul and Keeping Up With the Kardashians star Kanye West may change his name legally to Christian Genius Billionaire Kanye West. West made the announcement at a speaking engagement, where he also expressed interest in a presidential run.
Call him crazy. Call him irreverent. Call him whatever you want to, because Kanye West is kicking around the idea of changing his name. The announcement came when West spoke at Fast Company's Innovation Festival. The 42-year-old rapper made the disclosure amid a barrage of announcements, including a political run and his plan to move the Yeezy corporate headquarters to Wyoming. West has a number of successful ventures that have made him a lot of money over the years. Not only is he a multi-platinum recording artist, but he's also a highly regarded fashion designer. West is also married to a multimillionaire; spouse Kim Kardashian is reportedly worth more than $300 million dollars. With so many business ventures, a monetarily lucrative marriage, and residuals from his recordings, the Grammy winner is laughing all the way to the bank.
He happily addressed his wealth while talking to the audience at the event. "When people say it’s crass to call yourself a billionaire, I say I might legally change my name to Christian Genius Billionaire Kanye West for a year until y’all understand exactly what it is," he said. "It will be on the license plate." It wasn't that long ago that West was struggling financially. The "Jesus Walks" singer had amassed a reported $53 million dollars in debt. In 2016, he made a public appeal to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to incubate his ideas under the social network's brand. That request never came to fruition. However, Adidas did come to his rescue, offering the performer a 15 percent royalty on the wholesale earnings of his designs.
Now, West's collaboration with the athletic company is worth a reported $1.5 billion dollars, and his own earnings in 2019 are estimated at approximately $150 million dollars. West has been open about his financial struggles over the years. He rapped about his overspending in the song, "All Falls Down." He also lamented over his finances in the hit, "Can't Tell Me Nothin'." However, West - in recent years - has leaned into his faith, garnering legions of new admirers and a healthy bank account to boot.
To some, he might seem a bit obnoxious. To others, he's an inspiration. However, Kanye West is back on top and proud to let the world know. There's no word on whether he was serious when he said he'd change his name. However, if he does, Christian Genius Billionaire Kanye West is an appropriate moniker given his recent wins in life.