The “Flashing Lights” rapper is no stranger to media attention, often making headlines for his actions. Whether it’s his very public split from Kim Kardashian, his high-profile relationship with Julia Fox, or his latest marriage to Bianca Censori, West is never far from the spotlight.
But now, his name itself is becoming the subject of intense debate.
West’s unusual request for his true name to be used has generated a lot of online commentary.
One commenter writes: “I respect what people want to be called, whether it’s their gender or name, but I still can’t get behind his behavior.”
Another adds, “It’s a shame that people don’t understand what he’s saying.”
Milo Yiannopoulos, West’s chief of staff, has formally addressed the issue, insisting that West be called by his given name. In a letter, which Page Six obtained, Yiannopoulos explains that West is “one of the most recognizable figures in the world, alongside presidents and popes.”
The letter also stresses that the rapper didn’t make the decision to change his name lightly and acknowledges that he may be relinquishing some of the immense value tied to his original name.
West’s name change has come up multiple times in the media
In 2021, the rapper’s application to formally adopt his new moniker was approved in a Los Angeles court, and he no longer has a middle name. Since then, media outlets have been using both names interchangeably, but Yiannopoulos is determined to change that.
Yiannopoulos explains that he’s reaching out to “streaming platforms, publishers, stores, unions, lyrics websites, and data resellers” to ensure the name change is enforced across all platforms.
West has previously addressed the name change, describing it in a 2018 radio interview with BigBoyTV: “I believe ‘ye’ is the most frequently used word in the Bible, and it means you. So, I’m you, I’m us, it’s us.”
He went on to explain, “My name changed from Kanye, which means ‘the only one,’ to just Ye – reflecting all of us, our good, bad, confused, everything.”
West also hinted at this shift in his identity on X (formerly Twitter) after releasing his 2018 self-titled album, “Ye,” declaring that he was “the being formerly known as Kanye West.”