Washington (AFP)
The famous American rapper Kanye West is now worth $ 1.3 billion and has joined the prestigious list of billionaires of Forbes, thanks to his shoe brand developed with Adidas, announced the economic magazine Friday.
Chicago rapper's "Yeezy" sneakers are among the most popular in the fashion and streetwear world, often selling for more than $ 200 a pair, to the delight of young hipsters in the United States. United, and elsewhere.
According to Forbes, the income earned by Kim Kardashian's husband from his brand is slightly more than a billion dollars, and therefore alone explain his new financial status.
After collaborating without success with Nike for several years, Kanye West left the brand in comma in 2013 to team up with the German equipment supplier and launch their first collaborative shoe in 2015.
"Yeezy" is one of the rapper's multiple nicknames, which has made the headlines in recent years for his psychiatric problems, his controversial slavery comments and his support for Republican President Donald Trump, who is very unpopular in the business. rap.
This did not stop Mr. West from continuing to make music, an area in which critics continue to praise his talent.
Forbes explains in an article posted on Friday that the rapper and producer has claimed billionaire status for years and that he has been angry with the magazine on numerous occasions, the latter refusing to include it in his famous classification, lack of sufficient evidence.
Not without humor, Forbes explains that he applied the "Trump rule" in force for years in the magazine to his case: divide by three the wealth claimed by their interlocutor to start to see a little more clearly.
The rest of his money comes mainly from his properties, explains Forbes, who notes that the rapper is very spendthrift (he notably owns a tank) and does not seem to have made as much money with music as one could imagine. of a planetary star who multiplies platinum discs.
Kanye West, 42, becomes the second American rapper to join this ranking after his friend and mentor Jay-Z, who became a billionaire last year. The latter made his fortune thanks to his investments rather than fashion.
© 2020 AFP