American rapper Kanye West has officially changed his name to ‘Ye’. Just Ye with no middle or last name.
Born Kanye Omari West, the rapper filed for the name change to Ye, back in August in Los Angeles, citing “personal reasons” for the same.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michelle Williams Court granted the 44-year-old's name change request, which he submitted on August 24, a communications officer at the Los Angeles Superior Court told AFP on Monday. After his name was officially changed the rapper took to Instagram to share his new hairstyle:
The rapper actually declared three years ago he's the being formerly "known as Kanye West."
In 2018, the rapper, music producer and clothing entrepreneur had announced on Twitter that he's no longer "the being formally known as Kanye West… I am YE." Some may refer to Ye as an alter ego, but West explained in another tweet: "Who or what is Kanye West with no ego? Just Ye."
In 2018, he told radio host Big Boy that he believes “ye,” which means “you,” is the most commonly used word in the Bible.
Ye may have legally dropped "West," but his estranged wife has not. Kim Kardashian West is still going by her married name. The couple's four children — North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm — all have West as a surname, too.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, Ye gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing singles for several popular artists. Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper, West released his debut album, The College Dropout in 2004.