As his outspoken personality and political statements began to eclipse his music into the 2020s, he still managed to top the charts and garner accolades with 2020's exploratory Donda. He even released a gospel album, Jesus Is King, in 2019. Celebrity, tabloid headlines, and a changing artistic vision informed much of his next era, as the trappings of fame and inner turmoil became the focus of chart-toppers such as The Life of Pablo and Ye. With each successive album, he pushed the boundaries of hip-hop and soon entered a new phase of artistry with game changers such as 2008's 808s & Heartbreak, 2010's widely-regarded magnum opus My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and 2013's industrial-leaning foray Yeezus. His early 2000s production work quickly led to a major-label recording contract, yielding a classic trilogy comprised of 2004's The College Dropout, 2005's Late Registration, and 2007's Graduation. One of the most influential, critically-lauded, and controversial artists of the early 21st century, American rapper and producer Kanye West has gone from hip-hop beatmaker to worldwide hitmaker with a wildly successful solo career that counted an unbroken string of chart-topping, multi-platinum albums and nearly two-dozen Grammy Awards.
