Kanye West is an American producer and rapper (born June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia). He began making beats and rapping circa 1996 when he formed the rap group GO GETTERS with Chicago natives GLC and Really Doe. He first gained nationwide popularity when he moved to New York and began producing tracks for popular artists such as Jay-Z, Twista, Mase, Talib Kweli and Alicia Keys. In 2004 he released his first solo album, The College Dropout, and has since released Late Registration (2005) and Graduation (2007).
