Kanye West

Solo Artist · Yeezy

Photo: Cosmopolitan UK · CC BY 3.0
Active 1996-present
Origin Atlanta, Georgia
Albums 13
Tracks 203
Most frequent collaborator Mike Dean · 54 tracks
Genres Hip HopRapSoulExperimental Hip HopGospel Rap
Complete Artist
98%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 199 of 203 tracks

Did Kanye West write his own songs?

Yes. Kanye West is credited as a writer on nearly every track across the albums covered here. He almost always writes with a large group of collaborators, since his songs are built around samples and studio production, but he is a lyricist and composer on his own material from 'Jesus Walks' to 'Ultralight Beam.'

By the Numbers

13
Studio Albums
203
Tracks Credited
98%
Self-Written
160M+
Records Sold
30
Years Active
727
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 199 / 203 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 203 tracks: how many Kanye West wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Kanye West has a writing credit98%
9%
89%
2%
Sole author18tracks9%
Co-written181tracks89%
Outside writers4tracks2%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Kanye West's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 203 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)98%
Composer (music)98%
Producer99%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Kanye West's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 98%
95%
95%
100%
100%
100%
100%
90%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2004The College Dropout
2005Late Registration
2007Graduation
2008808s & Heartbreak
2010My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2013Yeezus
2016The Life of Pablo
2018ye
2019Jesus Is King
2021Donda
2024Vultures 1
2024Vultures 2
2026Bully
Early · 97% written
Mid · 97% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

97%
2000s
The College Dropout, Late Registration +2 more
97%
2010s
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Yeezus +3 more
100%
2020s
Donda, Vultures 1 +2 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Kanye West sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Kanye West
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Whitney Houston5%
Salt-N-Pepa35%
Kelly Clarkson49%
TLC59%
Destiny's Child69%
George Michael80%
Snoop Dogg89%
98%Kanye West
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Slow Jamz
The College Dropout
Written by Kanye West, Carl Mitchell, Burt Bacharach, Hal David
Co-wrote
All Falls Down
The College Dropout
Written by Kanye West, Lauryn Hill
Co-wrote
Jesus Walks
The College Dropout
Written by Kanye West, Che Smith, Miri Ben-Ari, Curtis Lundy
Co-wrote
Through the Wire
The College Dropout
Written by Kanye West, David Foster, Tom Keane, Cynthia Weil
Co-wrote
Gold Digger
Late Registration
Written by Kanye West, Ray Charles, Renald Richard
Co-wrote
Heard 'Em Say
Late Registration
Written by Kanye West, Adam Levine, Michael Masser, Gerry Goffin
Co-wrote
Touch the Sky
Late Registration
Written by Kanye West, Wasalu Jaco, Justin Smith, Curtis Mayfield
Co-wrote
Stronger
Graduation
Written by Kanye West, Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Edwin Birdsong
Co-wrote
Good Life
Graduation
Written by Kanye West, Faheem Najm, Aldrin Davis, John Stephens, Quincy Jones, James Ingram
Co-wrote
Flashing Lights
Graduation
Written by Kanye West, Eric Hudson
Co-wrote
Can't Tell Me Nothing
Graduation
Written by Kanye West, Connie Mitchell, Aldrin Davis
Co-wrote
Love Lockdown
808s & Heartbreak
Written by Kanye West, Jeff Bhasker, Jenny-Bea Englishman, Malik Jones, LaNeah Menzies
Co-wrote
Heartless
808s & Heartbreak
Written by Kanye West, Ernest Wilson, Scott Mescudi, Malik Jones
Co-wrote
POWER
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Written by Kanye West, Larry Griffin Jr., Mike Dean, Jeff Bhasker, Andwele Gardner, Ken Lewis
Co-wrote
Black Skinhead
Yeezus
Written by Kanye West, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Thomas Bangalter, Malik Yusef, Cydel Young, Elon Rutberg, Wasalu Jaco, Sakiya Sandifer, Mike Dean, Derek Watkins
Co-wrote
Famous
The Life of Pablo
Written by Kanye West, Kejuan Muchita, Noah Goldstein, Ernest Brown, Andrew Dawson, Mike Dean, Chancelor Bennett, Kasseem Dean, Cydel Young, Ross Birchard, Pat Reynolds, Malik Jones, Jimmy Webb, Winston Riley
Co-wrote
Fade
The Life of Pablo
Written by Kanye West, Tyrone Griffin Jr., Austin Post, Anthony Kilhoffer, Benjamin Benstead, Mike Dean, Ryan Vojtesak, Jerome Potter, Samuel Griesemer, Noah Goldstein, Malik Jones, Norman Whitfield, Eddie Holland, Cornelius Grant, Larry Heard, Robert Owens, Louie Vega, Ronald Carroll, Barbara Tucker
Co-wrote
Yikes
ye
Written by Kanye West, Mike Dean, James Mbarack Achieng, Aubrey Graham, Cydel Young, Dexter Mills, Danielle Balbuena, Malik Yusef, Kenneth Preshon, Terrence Boykin
Co-wrote
All Mine
ye
Written by Kanye West, Mike Dean, Francis Farewell Starlite, Cydel Young, Dexter Mills, Jeremy Phillip Felton, Ant Clemons, Tyrone Griffin Jr., Malik Yusef, Kenneth Preshon, Terrence Boykin
Co-wrote
Follow God
Jesus Is King
Written by Kanye West, Jahmal Gwin, Bryant Bell, Aaron Butts, Curtis Eubanks, Calvin Eubanks
Co-wrote
Closed on Sunday
Jesus Is King
Written by Kanye West, Angel Lopez, Brian Miller, Federico Vindver, Timbaland, Gene Thornton, Rennard East, Terrence Thornton, Victory Boyd
Co-wrote
Hurricane
Donda
Written by Kanye West, Abel Tesfaye, Dominique Jones, Mike Dean, Jahmal Gwin, Khalil Abdul-Rahman, Ronald Spence Jr., Henry Walter, Mark Williams, Raul Cubina, Charles Njapa, Christopher Ruelas, Mark Mbogo, Nasir Pemberton, Cydel Young, Malik Yusef, Orlando Wilder, Albert Daniels, Cailin Russo, Daniel Seeff, Dexter Mills, Tobias Smith
Co-wrote
Off the Grid
Donda
Written by Kanye West, Jordan Terrell Carter, Maxie Ryles III, Samuel Gloade, Aswad Asif, Mark Williams, Raul Cubina, Billy Walsh, David Ruoff, Elias Klughammer, Eric Sloan, Cydel Young, Malik Yusef, Orlando Wilder, Tobias Smith
Co-wrote
Carnival
Vultures 1
Written by Kanye West, Tyrone Griffin Jr., Dimitri Roger, Jordan Terrell Carter, Mark Williams, Raul Cubina, Nasir Pemberton, Samuel Lindley, Grant Dickinson
Co-wrote
Vultures
Vultures 1
Written by Kanye West, Tyrone Griffin Jr., Terrance Boykin, Durk Banks, Pharris Thomas, Cydel Young, Warren Trotter, Mark Williams, Raul Cubina, Mathias Liyew, Gustave Rudman Rambali, Marlon Barrow, Jason Harris, Paul Beauregard, Jordan Houston
Co-wrote
Slide
Vultures 2
Written by Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign, Aswad Asif, Cydel Young, Leon Thomas III, Peter Lee Johnson, Samuel Lindley
Co-wrote

Discography 13 albums

Covers 13 studio albums. Vultures 1 and Vultures 2 (2024) are credited to the ¥$ joint project with Ty Dolla $ign. Watch the Throne (2011, collaborative album with Jay-Z) and Donda 2 (2022, streaming-exclusive/unfinished release) are not included.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Kanye West203 tracks
MD54Mike Dean, 54 tracks 45Cydel Young, 45 tracks MY43Malik Yusef, 43 tracks MJ28Malik Jones, 28 tracks TG25Tyrone Griffin Jr., 25 tracks MW21Mark Williams, 21 tracks RC21Raul Cubina, 21 tracks O21Ojivolta, 21 tracks TD20Ty Dolla Sign, 20 tracks B20BoogzDaBeast, 20 tracks JG19Jahmal Gwin, 19 tracks DM17Dexter Mills, 17 tracks JB17Jeff Bhasker, 17 tracks SL17Samuel Lindley, 17 tracks TD17Ty Dolla $ign, 17 tracks TL16The Legendary Traxster, 16 tracks CN14Charles Njapa, 14 tracks 81488-Keys, 14 tracks JB13Jon Brion, 13 tracks NG13Noah Goldstein, 13 tracks FV12Federico Vindver, 12 tracks BW12Billy Walsh, 12 tracks TT11Terrence Thornton, 11 tracks ER11Elon Rutberg, 11 tracks SM10Scott Mescudi, 10 tracks WT9Warren Trotter, 9 tracks T9Timbaland, 9 tracks OW9Orlando Wilder, 9 tracks MM9Michael Mulé, 9 tracks ID9Isaac De Boni, 9 tracks F9FnZ, 9 tracks QM9Quentin Miller, 9 tracks CP8Che Pope, 8 tracks AC8Anthony Clemons Jr., 8 tracks S8Sheffmade, 8 tracks CS7Che Smith, 7 tracks WC7Warryn Campbell, 7 tracks EW7Ernest Wilson, 7 tracks JV7Justin Vernon, 7 tracks KD7Kasseem Dean, 7 tracks DW7Derek Watkins, 7 tracks TB7Terrence Boykin, 7 tracks RE7Rennard East, 7 tracks AL7Angel Lopez, 7 tracks NP7Nasir Pemberton, 7 tracks SC6Shawn Carter, 6 tracks BM6Brian Miller, 6 tracks KC6Kid Cudi, 6 tracks RB6Ross Birchard, 6 tracks SB6Swizz Beatz, 6 tracks KP6Kenneth Preshon, 6 tracks PC6Playboi Carti, 6 tracks DN6Digital Nas, 6 tracks CT6Caleb Toliver, 6 tracks JL5John Legend, 5 tracks AW5Antony Williams, 5 tracks TB5Thomas Bangalter, 5 tracks on Daft Punk's page GD5Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, 5 tracks on Daft Punk's page PR5Patrick Reynolds, 5 tracks SS5Sakiya Sandifer, 5 tracks HM5Hudson Mohawke, 5 tracks CT5Chance the Rapper, 5 tracks JP5Jerome Potter, 5 tracks SG5Samuel Griesemer, 5 tracks DA5Dwayne Abernathy Jr., 5 tracks DJ5Dem Jointz, 5 tracks E5E.Vax, 5 tracks TS5Tobias Smith, 5 tracks W5Wheezy, 5 tracks DC5Darhyl Camper Jr., 5 tracks C5Camper, 5 tracks MB4Miri Ben-Ari, 4 tracks LH4Leonard Harris, 4 tracks TW4Tony Williams, 4 tracks NI4No I.D., 4 tracks PT4Pusha T, 4 tracks ML4Mike Lévy, 4 tracks MB4Metro Boomin, 4 tracks PR4Pat Reynolds, 4 tracks EB4Ernest Brown, 4 tracks CH4Charlie Heat, 4 tracks FF4Francis Farewell Starlite, 4 tracks 0S4070 Shake, 4 tracks AB4Aaron Butts, 4 tracks E4E*vax, 4 tracks MM4Mark Mbogo, 4 tracks BH4Barrington Hendricks, 4 tracks TM4Timothy Mosley, 4 tracks KŻ4Konrad Żyrek, 4 tracks J4JPEGMafia, 4 tracks CD4Christopher Dotson, 4 tracks DC4Dylan Cleary-Krell, 4 tracks DW4Dez Wright, 4 tracks J3Jay-Z, 3 tracks GG3Gerry Goffin, 3 tracks GS3Gil Scott-Heron, 3 tracks AD3Aldrin Davis, 3 tracks DT3DJ Toomp, 3 tracks LW3Lil Wayne, 3 tracks JJ3Jay Jenkins, 3 tracks JE3Jenny-Bea Englishman, 3 tracks CT3Cyhi the Prynce, 3 tracks KP3Kelly Price, 3 tracks RR3Rick Rubin, 3 tracks CS3Caroline Shaw, 3 tracks D3Desiigner, 3 tracks KM3Kejuan Muchita, 3 tracks AD3Andrew Dawson, 3 tracks JW3Jeffery Williams, 3 tracks YT3Young Thug, 3 tracks MS3Matthew Samuels, 3 tracks B3Boi-1da, 3 tracks AG3Aubrey Graham, 3 tracks on Drake's page F3Future, 3 tracks AK3Anthony Kilhoffer, 3 tracks K3Kilhoffer, 3 tracks AC3Ant Clemons, 3 tracks GT3Gene Thornton, 3 tracks VB3Victory Boyd, 3 tracks PB3Pi'erre Bourne, 3 tracks MS3Michael Suski, 3 tracks TH3Tavoris Hollins Jr., 3 tracks V3Vory, 3 tracks MR3Maxie Ryles III, 3 tracks AA3Aswad Asif, 3 tracks JW3Jacques Webster II, 3 tracks TS3Travis Scott, 3 tracks DB3Durk Banks, 3 tracks LD3Lil Durk, 3 tracks DC3Denzel Charles, 3 tracks DT3Don Toliver, 3 tracks G3Gesaffelstein, 3 tracks TT3Tyshane Thompson, 3 tracks S3Shdøw, 3 tracks QM3Quavious Marshall, 3 tracks LT3Leon Thomas III, 3 tracks AT3André Troutman, 3 tracks TT3TK the Legend, 3 tracks NC3Nkenge Cameron, 3 tracks LH2Lauryn Hill, 2 tracks SJ2Syleena Johnson, 2 tracks G2GLC, 2 tracks C2Consequence, 2 tracks LR2Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., 2 tracks C2Common, 2 tracks JF2Jamie Foxx, 2 tracks DS2Dante Smith, 2 tracks MD2Mos Def, 2 tracks KL2Ken Lewis, 2 tracks MM2Michael Masser, 2 tracks

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 701. MD Mike Dean · MY Malik Yusef · MJ Malik Jones · TG Tyrone Griffin Jr. · MW Mark Williams

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Kanye West is one of the few hip-hop artists who scores near-100% on BOTH lyricist and composer credits, he writes all his own rap verses AND produces most of his own beats. This makes him the closest equivalent in hip-hop to what Jared Leto represents in rock: total creative authorship from writing to production to performance. His production credits are among the most influential in modern music history.

Quick Facts

  • Grammys24 wins, among the most of any hip-hop artist
  • Producer rootsBroke through producing for Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella before rapping
  • Chart featEleven consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200
  • Signature soundPioneered 'chipmunk soul,' sped-up soul samples
  • NameNow goes by the mononym Ye

Creative Fingerprint

A producer-first author: Kanye West is credited as a writer on nearly every track he releases, but almost always alongside a crowd of co-writers, sample composers, and producers. His songs are built collaboratively in the studio, not written alone.

The Story

Kanye West is a rapper, record producer, and fashion designer widely regarded as one of the most influential and polarizing figures in modern music. Emerging from Chicago's South Side, he first gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records before proving himself a formidable MC with his debut album The College Dropout in 2004. Over the following two decades he has consistently reinvented his sound, from soulful chipmunk-soul to orchestral hip-hop, minimalist electronic experimentation, and gospel rap, earning 24 Grammy Awards and reshaping the genre with nearly every release.

Awards & Recognition

Twenty-four Grammy Awards, among the most of any hip-hop artist
Eleven number-one albums on the Billboard 200
Five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100
An estimated 160 million records sold worldwide
Widely listed among the greatest and most influential hip-hop artists of all time

Frequently Asked Questions Kanye West

Did Kanye West write his own songs?
Yes. Kanye West is credited as a writer on nearly every track across the albums covered here. He almost always writes with a large group of collaborators, since his songs are built around samples and studio production, but he is a lyricist and composer on his own material from 'Jesus Walks' to 'Ultralight Beam.'
Was Kanye West a producer before he was a rapper?
Yes. He first made his name producing for Jay-Z and other Roc-A-Fella artists in the early 2000s, known for a 'chipmunk soul' style of sped-up soul samples, before releasing his own debut album The College Dropout in 2004.
Who wrote 'Gold Digger'?
'Gold Digger' (2005) was written by Kanye West and built on a Ray Charles sample, which is why Ray Charles and Renald Richard share the writing credit. Jamie Foxx performed the hook.
Who wrote 'Stronger'?
Kanye West wrote 'Stronger' (2007) around a sample of Daft Punk's 'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,' which is why Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo share the credit.
Did Kanye West write 'Jesus Walks'?
Yes. 'Jesus Walks' (2004) was co-written by Kanye West with Che Smith, known as Rhymefest, and others. It won the Grammy for Best Rap Song.
How many albums has Kanye West released?
This catalogue covers 13 of his studio albums, beginning with The College Dropout (2004) and running through his Vultures and Bully era.
How many Grammys has Kanye West won?
Twenty-four Grammy Awards, among the most of any hip-hop artist.
Why does Kanye West go by Ye?
He adopted the mononym Ye as his name and has said the word carries personal and biblical meaning for him. Fans and media often still refer to him as Kanye or by his longtime nickname Yeezy.
Who are Kanye West's frequent collaborators?
Producers and co-writers like Mike Dean and Jeff Bhasker appear across many of his albums, and he has worked repeatedly with artists such as Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kid Cudi. His records are highly collaborative even though he drives the vision.
What is Kanye West's most acclaimed album?
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) is widely regarded as his masterpiece and one of the greatest albums of its era, featuring 'POWER,' 'Runaway,' and 'All of the Lights.'

Sources

Wikipedia: Kanye West