Kanye West has been using “Ye” as his stage name for a while now. But this could soon become the “Good Morning” rapper’s legal name as well if he gets the green light from the Los Angeles Superior Court.
According to The Associated Press, West filed an official request to a California court in which he stated that he wants to change his name from Kanye Omari West to Ye. The 44-year-old cited “personal reasons” when explaining why he wants to make the change. His case will be reviewed by a judge, who will then decide whether to approve or deny the request.
West has been using the moniker since the early 2010s, making it a big part of his brand. The name served as a title for his eighth studio album while also being prominently displayed on his social media pages. He went one step further in 2018, referring to himself as “the being formally known as Kanye West ” and writing: “I am YE.”
That same year, West partially explained his fascination with the name during an interview with American radio host Big Boy.
“I believe ‘ye’ is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible it means ‘you,'” said West. “So I’m you, I’m us, it’s us. It went from Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye – just being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confused, everything.”
Besides the name change, Kanye West is currently also busy working on his highly-anticipated 10th studio album Donda. The record was initially set for release in the summer of 2020 but has since been delayed several times. It is currently expected to come out on August 27th.
