Kanye: the facts
Over the years he’s adopted (or been given) various monikers including Konman, Ye, the Louis Vuitton Don and even Martin Louis the King Jnr.

He’s one of the biggest selling digital artists of all time, having shifted somewhere in the region of a whopping 30,242,000 paid-for downloads. At the last count, Rihanna is number one, in case you were wondering.

West runs his own record label, GOOD (which stands for Getting Out Our Dreams) Music that has the likes of John Legend, Kid Cudi and Common on its roster.

The name Kanye actually means the only one in Swahili. His middle name is Omari.

In 2002 West was involved in a car crash that meant he had to have a metal plate put in his chin. While still in hospital he requested an electronic drum machine so that he could continue composing.

His debut single ‘Through The Wire’ was so-called because during recording he had to sing with a wire brace around his jaw as a result of his aforementioned car accident.

After the success of his debut album, College Dropout, he’s rumoured to have bought himself an 18th Century aquarium with around 30 koi fish in it. There’s supposedly a cherub-shaped gold fountain resting on a marble base right in the centre of it.

It’s rumoured he once said his favourite band were Scottish arty indie popsters Franz Ferdinand!

He once worked as a telemarketer selling credit card insurance.

West is putting a signed and worn pair of his Nike Air Yeezy II sneakers up for auction to raise funds for the RE/CREATE New York, charity which is helping with the ongoing Hurricane Sandy relief. An original non-signed, non-worn version went for US$90,000. Bidding starts on January 24.

The teddy bear that often adorns his albums, videos and single is a mascot that goes by the name of Dropout Bear.

He’s produced hit records for the likes of Jay-Z, Janet Jackson and Alicia Keys among many others.