Has a metal plate in his chin from near fatal car accident in which he was involved in around 3 pm on October 23, 2002. He was driving home from a studio session and fell asleep behind the steering wheel and crashed into another car.

His debut album, "College Drop Out", sold over 400,000 copies in its first week.

Sophomore album "Late Registration" moved over 860,000 units in its opening week, landing it at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a career first for the rapper.

At age 3 his parents Ray West and Donda West divorced. She moved to Chicago and was an English professor at Chicago State University, and retired to be Kanye's manager. She appeared on FOX News' "The Big Story with John Gibson" on May 18, 2007, to talk about her son, which led to her being dubbed a "hip hop mama".

His name is pronounced like "Con-yay".

His favourite band is Scottish rock group Franz Ferdinand.

He is signed to Roc A Fella Records.

Is an only child.

Nominated for 10 Grammies in 2005. He ended up winning 3.

Made his European television debut performing his song "Through the Wire" on "Raymann is laat" (2001).

His mother is a former English professor at Chicago State University.

CD: "Graduation", 2006.

His debut album CD booklet contains 'yearbook-style' photos of the entire "College Dropout" album staff, along with high school superlatives underneath them. His was "most unlikely to succeed".

Mother, Donda West, died on November 10, 2007 from complications of surgery.

Moved to Chicago when he was 3 years old.

Has his own record label with the acronym G.O.O.D which stands for Getting Out Our Dreams, a subsidiary of Geffen.

Rapper Common signed to G.O.O.D.

Lived in China for a year with his mother when he was 10 years old.

Attended Chicago State University / Columbia College, Chicago. He dropped out to pursue music, hence the name of his 2004 debut album "The College Droput".

Has produced numerous songs for many artists including Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Jay-Z, DMX, Alicia Keys, Common, Mos Def, and many others.