February 2022: Worth $2 billion, Yeezy deal with Adidas printing money.
October 3, 2022: Wore "White Lives Matter" shirt at Paris Fashion Week.
October 9, 2022: Twitter: "I'm going death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE."
October 25, 2022: Adidas terminates Yeezy deal, loses $1.5 billion overnight.
December 1, 2022: Told Alex Jones "I like Hitler."
2024: Net worth $400 million (down from $2B), essentially blacklisted.
This is how Kanye West destroyed a $2 billion empire in 8 weeks—through the most public meltdown in celebrity history.
The Genius Era (1977-2021)
Born June 8, 1977
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
Raised: Chicago
Mother: Donda West (English professor)
Father: Ray West (photojournalist, later Christian counselor)
Childhood: Middle-class, stable
Early talent: Music production
The Producer (2000-2004)
Breakthrough: Producing for Jay-Z's Blueprint (2001)
Hits produced: "Izzo," "Takeover"
Style: Sped-up soul samples
Innovation: Changed hip-hop production
Problem: Wanted to rap, not just produce
Labels: Rejected him as rapper
The College Dropout (2004)
Released: February 10, 2004
Singles: "Through the Wire," "Jesus Walks," "All Falls Down"
Innovation: Backpack rap, conscious lyrics
Commercial: 4x Platinum
Critical: Universal acclaim
Grammy: Best Rap Album
Age: 26
Status: Hip-hop's new voice
The Peak Years (2005-2016)
Albums:
- Late Registration (2005) - 3x Platinum
- Graduation (2007) - 5x Platinum
- 808s & Heartbreak (2008) - Influential
- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) - Masterpiece
- Yeezus (2013) - Experimental
- The Life of Pablo (2016) - Streaming era
Grammys: 24 wins
Sales: 160+ million records
Influence: Changed music multiple times
Status: Generational genius
The Yeezy Empire (2009-2022)
Nike Deal (2009)
Sneaker: Air Yeezy
Release: Limited
Resale: Thousands
Problem: Nike didn't pay royalties
His complaint: "I'm a creative, not just endorser"
2013: Left Nike
Adidas Partnership (2013)
Signed: December 2013
Deal structure: Royalty-based (unprecedented)
His cut: 15% of wholesale revenue
Why revolutionary: Athletes get endorsements, he got ownership stake
Launch: February 2015
Yeezy Success
Yeezy Boost 350 (2015):
- Retail: $200
- Resale: $1,000+
- Demand: Insane
Annual revenue:
- 2019: $1.3 billion
- 2020: $1.7 billion
- 2021: $2 billion
His cut: $250+ million per year
Status by 2021: Billionaire (Forbes confirmed)
Net worth peak: $2 billion (2022)
Gap Deal (2020)
Signed: June 2020
10-year deal: Yeezy Gap line
Projection: $1 billion annually
Launch: 2021
Problem: Creative differences from start
The Fashion Ambitions
Paris shows: Regular
LVMH meetings: Wanted luxury partnership
Ego: "I'm the Steve Jobs of fashion"
Reception: Mixed (fashion world skeptical)
Reality: Yeezy was successful, but not high fashion
The Unraveling Begins (2016-2021)
November 2016: Sacramento Rant
Tour: Saint Pablo Tour
Incident: 17-minute rant on stage
Topics:
- Beyoncé manipulated Grammys
- Jay-Z has killers
- Wanted to vote for Trump
Then: Walked off after 3 songs
Result: Canceled rest of tour
Next day: Hospitalized for psychiatric emergency
Diagnosis: Bipolar disorder (later confirmed)
The Trump Era (2018)
May 2018: "I love Trump"
Wore: MAGA hat
Oval Office meeting: October 2018
The speech: 10-minute rambling monologue to Trump
Public reaction: Confusion, anger
Black community: Felt betrayed
His explanation: "Free thinking"
The Sunday Service Era (2019)
Started: January 2019
Concept: Gospel concerts at his house
Frequency: Weekly
Attendance: Invitation only
Vibe: Cult-like
His state: "Found Jesus"
Music: Gospel album Jesus Is King
The Presidential Run (2020)
Announced: July 4, 2020
Platform: Incoherent
Campaign rally: One (South Carolina)
The speech:
- Crying about almost aborting daughter
- Rambling about Harriet Tubman
Result: Got 60,000 votes nationally
Impact: None politically, damaged reputation
The Divorce (2021-2022)
Kim filed: February 2021
Marriage duration: 7 years
Children: 4
Settlement: $200,000/month child support
His behavior: Harassed her publicly
Social media: Posted about Pete Davidson (her boyfriend)
Behavior: Increasingly erratic
The 8-Week Implosion (October-December 2022)
October 3, 2022: Paris Fashion Week
Show: Yeezy Season 9
The shirt: "White Lives Matter" on back
His explanation: "It's funny"
Candace Owens: Wore matching shirt
Reaction: Immediate outrage
Black community: "What is he doing?"
His response: Doubled down
October 6-9, 2022: The Instagram Rants
Target: Diddy, others
Claims: "Jews control the media"
Post (Oct 8): Screenshot of text with Diddy, antisemitic
October 9 Twitter: "I'm going death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE"
Meant: DEFCON (nuclear alert level)
Context: Claimed Jewish people control everything
Reaction: Locked out of Instagram and Twitter
October 10-15, 2022: The Interview Circuit
Appeared on: Podcasts, interviews
Message: Doubled down on antisemitism
Claims:
- Jewish media cabal
- George Floyd didn't die from knee
- Planned Parenthood genocide
Interviewer pushback: None (initially)
Publicity: Massive, all negative
October 16, 2022: Drink Champs Interview
Platform: Popular hip-hop podcast
Duration: 3+ hours
Content:
- More antisemitic conspiracy theories
- Claimed George Soros wasn't real
- Jewish people control everything
Public response: Horror
Jewish community: Demanded action
October 17-24, 2022: The Brand Exodus Begins
October 17: Balenciaga cuts ties
October 18: Vogue says won't work with him
October 21: Talent agency CAA drops him
October 24: Gap terminates Yeezy Gap deal
The dominos: Falling
October 25, 2022: Adidas Terminates
Announcement: "Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism"
Terminated: Yeezy deal immediately
Effective: Lost 15% royalty on $2 billion brand
His annual income: $250M → $0
Net worth drop: $2 billion → $400 million overnight
The calculation: Lost $1.5 billion in one day
November 2022: Continued Meltdown
Banned from: Instagram, Twitter
Lost deals:
- Adidas: $1.5B value
- Gap: $1B potential
- Balenciaga: $10M+
- Documentary: $100M (MRC canceled)
Total estimated loss: $2+ billion
December 1, 2022: Alex Jones Interview
Show: InfoWars
The worst moment: "I like Hitler"
Exact quote: "I see good things about Hitler... every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler"
Alex Jones: Tried to walk him back (ALEX JONES!)
Kanye: Kept going
Also said: "I love Nazis"
The low point: Praising Hitler to conspiracy theorist
Public response: Complete horror
The Complete Blacklist (2023-2024)
What He Lost
Adidas deal: $250M/year
Gap deal: Projected $150M/year
Other endorsements: $50M/year
Total annual income lost: $450+ million
Net worth:
- Peak (2022): $2 billion
- Current (2024): $400 million
Percentage lost: 80% of wealth
Industry Exile
Music platforms: Didn't ban, but no promotion
Fashion: Completely blacklisted
Brands: Won't touch him
Collaborators: Distanced
Former friends: Cut ties
Status: Pariah
Attempted Comebacks
2023 album: Vultures
Release strategy: Independent
Sales: Fraction of previous
Quality: Criticized
Features: Struggling artists only
Impact: Minimal
Current State (2024)
Living: Reportedly erratic
Social media: Banned from major platforms
New ventures: Launched Yeezy porn division (seriously)
Partnership attempts: All rejected
Reputation: Destroyed
Age: 47
What Destroyed Him
The Unmedicated Bipolar
Diagnosis: Bipolar disorder
Medication: Refused to take
Quote: "Pills make me not creative"
Reality: Mania led to delusions
Support system: Enabled him
Mental health: Untreated, worsening
The Yes-Men
Inner circle: No one said no
Consequences: None until too late
Feedback: Only positive
Reality checks: None
The bubble: Complete
The Messiah Complex
Believed: He was chosen by God
Compared himself to: Jesus, Steve Jobs, Picasso
Couldn't be wrong: Everything was "vision"
Criticism: "Haters don't understand"
The delusion: Complete
The Platform
Social media: Gave him direct audience
Interviews: Said yes to everyone
Fact-checking: None
Consequences: Delayed but severe
The rope: Hanged himself with it
The Jewish Community Response
ADL Statement
Anti-Defamation League: Condemned
Education offer: Tried to meet, educate
His response: Refused
Community: United against him
Holocaust Survivors
Statements: Horrified
Historical context: Reminded of Nazi rhetoric
Impact: Gave ammunition to actual antisemites
The harm: Measurable, real
Actual Consequences
Antisemitic incidents: Spiked after his comments
Hate groups: Celebrated his statements
Banner: "Kanye is right about the Jews" hung over freeway
The damage: Beyond just his career
From $2 Billion to $400 Million
February 2022: $2 billion net worth, Yeezy empire
October 3, 2022: White Lives Matter shirt
October 9, 2022: Death con 3 tweet
October 25, 2022: Adidas deal terminated
December 1, 2022: "I like Hitler"
2024: $400 million (80% loss), industry pariah
Time span: 8 weeks from billionaire to canceled
The Lesson
You can be:
- Generational musical genius
- Billionaire
- Cultural icon
- Fashion mogul
But:
If you praise Hitler, you lose everything.
If you spread antisemitism, brands drop you.
If you refuse mental health treatment, mania destroys you.
If you surround yourself with yes-men, no one stops you.
Kanye West had:
- $2 billion
- 24 Grammys
- Yeezy empire
- Cultural influence
Kanye West lost it by:
- Going on antisemitic rants
- Refusing to apologize
- Praising Hitler
- Being completely unmedicated
The fastest billionaire-to-pariah fall in history.
8 weeks.
$1.5 billion lost.
All self-inflicted.
That's the Kanye West meltdown.
A cautionary tale about untreated mental illness, unchecked ego, and why praising Hitler ends your career.
No matter how talented you are.
