40 Photos of Kanye West Being Kanye

2 minute read

Kanye West, rapper-fashion designer-pop cultural provocateur, is one of the most dynamic (if, at times, polarizing) figures in the world and for good reason.

Since Kanye first appeared on the music scene, he’s gone through multiple transformations — brash young Jay Z-endorsed rapper, enfant terrible of the music world, aspiring fashion visionary, frequent Twitter prophet, Kardashian consort, and artist battling his demons. Throughout the reninventions, however, one thing has remained constant and that’s Kanye’s indomitable belief in himself.

Call it ego, hubris, or narcissism, but Kanye’s supreme assurance in himself is what has made him a cultural phenomenon for close to two decades, something he’s well aware of — this is the man, after all, who once declared himself “the greatest artist of all time” and wryly wrote the lyrics “I love you like Kanye loves Kanye.” This braggadocio has also given birth to some of the most memorable instances in pop culture: when he rushed the MTV Video Music Awards stage during a Taylor Swift acceptance speech, when he unforgettably made his point about former President George W. Bush’s handling of Hurricane Katrina on live television, and more recently, when his fashion shows had no shortage of drama.

In honor of his 40th birthday, TIME looked back at the most noteworthy moments of Kanye being unapologetically Kanye.

Damon Dash Promotes Clothing Line
Damon Dash and Kanye West in New York City, on Aug. 15, 2002.Getty Images
Hip-Hop Theater Festival's First Hip-Hop Unity Concert
Rosario Dawson and Kanye West in New York City, on June 9, 2003.Johnny Nunez—Getty Images
Freedom Classic/Roc-a-fella Weekend Jump Off
Kanye West in Richmond, Va., on Jan. 17, 2004.Johnny Nunez—Getty Images
Kanye West and Young Gunz London Performance at Elysium
Kanye West in London, on Jan. 23, 2004.Johnny Nunez—Getty Images
Kanye West and Young Gunz London Performance at Elysium
Kanye West in London, on Jan. 23, 2004.Johnny Nunez—Getty Images
Kanye West and Raven Visit MTV's "TRL" - February 10, 2004
Kanye West and Drop-Out Bear promote The College Dropout at TRL in New York City, on Feb. 10, 2004.Theo Wargo—Getty Images
Lifebeat Hearts and Voices Benefit
Kanye West in New York City, on March 11, 2004.Peter Kramer—Getty Images
GQ Presents Kanye West's Platinum Party
Kanye West in New York City, on March 4, 2004.Johnny Nunez—Getty Images
Rick James Found Dead At His Home
From left: Kanye West, Rick James and Bump J in Los Angeles, on July 8, 2004.Kevin Winter—Getty Images
The 47th Annual GRAMMY Awards - Show
Kanye West performs "Jesus Walks" at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, on Feb. 13, 2005.L. Cohen—Getty Images
Kanye West's Heaven GRAMMY After Party Sponsored by Entertainment Weekly - Inside
Kanye West and Nelly during Kanye West's Grammy afterparty in Hollywood, Calif., on Feb. 08, 2006.Johnny Nunez—Getty Images
Mission: Impossible III Premiere Presented by BET's 106 & Park
Kanye West and Tom Cruise during the Mission: Impossible III in New York City, on May 3, 2006.John Ricard—Getty Images
Paris Fashion Week - Stella McCartney
Kanye West and Paul McCartney attend the Stella McCartney Fashion Show, as part of Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2007 in Paris, on Oct. 5, 2006.Michel Dufour—Getty Images
Stella McCartney Store Christmas Window Lighting
Kanye West poses with children prior to Christmas in Los Angeles, on Dec. 5, 2006.Leon Bennett—Getty Images
Princes William & Harry At 'Concert for Diana' Party
From left: Prince William, Kanye West, Prince Harry and P. Diddy at Wembley Stadium in London, on July 1, 2007.Tim Graham—Getty Images
Paris Fashion Week - Spring/Summer 2008 - Givenchy
From left: Kanye West, Alexis Pfeiffer, Courtney Love and Mario Testino in Paris, on Oct. 3, 2007.Lorenzo Santini—Getty Images
Dior Men Spring Summer 2009 Fashion Show
Kris Van Assche and Kanye West at Dior Men Spring Summer 2009 Fashion Show in Paris, on June 29, 2008.Bertrand Rindoff Petroff—Getty Images
2008 Essence Music Festival Presented By Coca-Cola - Day 1
Kanye West wears a custom Louis Vuitton backpack, while performing in New Orleans, on July 4, 2008.Sean Gardner—Getty Images
Marc Jacobs Spring '09 Fashion Show - Front Row and Backstage
From left: Kanye West, Marc Jacobs and rapper Jay Z at Marc Jacobs Spring '09 Fashion Show at Park Avenue Armory in New York City, on Sept. 8, 2008.Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images
Givenchy: Paris Fashion Week Ready-to-Wear A/W 09
Kanye West speaks with Anna Wintour as they attend the Givenchy Ready-to-Wear A/W 2009 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, on March 8, 2009.Pascal Le Segretain—Getty Images
2009 MTV Video Music Awards - Show
Kanye West jumps onstage after Taylor Swift won the "Best Female Video" award during the 2009 MTV VMAs at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, on Sept. 13, 2009.Christopher Polk—Getty Images
The Louis Vuitton Fashion Show Autumn Winter 2010-2011 Menswear Collection In Paris
Kanye West and Amber Rose at The Louis Vuitton Fashion Show Autumn Winter 2010-2011 Menswear Collection In Paris, on Jan. 21, 2010.Bertrand Rindoff Petroff—Getty Images
2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show - Backstage
From left: Miranda Kerr, Kanye West and Chanel Iman backstage at the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York City, on Nov. 9, 2011.Michael Stewart—Getty Images
2012 BET Awards - Show
Kanye West and Jay-Z accept the award for Video of the Year onstage during the 2012 BET Awards in Los Angeles, on July 1, 2012.Michael Buckner—Getty Images
Kim Kardashian Halloween Birthday Bash At LIV Nightclub
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West arrive at Kim Kardashian's Halloween party in Miami Beach, Fla., on Oct. 31, 2012.John Parra—Getty Images
Kim Kardashian Sighting In Paris
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are seen leaving the Häagen-Dazs store in Paris, on May 18, 2014.Marc Piasecki—Getty Images
Givenchy : Front Row - Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2015
Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and North West attend the Givenchy show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2015 in Paris, on Sept. 28, 2014.Bertrand Rindoff Petroff—Getty Images
Kanye West - The Yeezus Tour SYDNEY
Kanye West performs during the Yeezus Tour in Sydney, Australia, on Sept. 12, 2014. Mark Metcalfe—Getty Images
adidas Originals x Kanye West YEEZY SEASON 1 - Runway
Kanye West on the runway at the Adidas Originals x Kanye West Yeezy Season 1 fashion show during New York Fashion Week Fall 2015 in New York City, on Feb. 12, 2015.Theo Wargo—Getty Images
Christian Dior : Outside Arrivals  - Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2015/2016
Kanye West and Lorde attend the Christian Dior show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2015/2016 in Paris, on March 6, 2015.Rindoff/Dufour/Getty Images
2015 School Of Art Institute Of Chicago Commencement Ceremony
Kanye West receives an honorary doctorate at the School Of Art Institute Of Chicago commencement ceremony in Chicago, on May 11, 2015.Timothy Hiatt—Getty Images
2015 MTV Video Music Awards - Fixed Show
Kanye West, left, accepts the Video Vanguard Award from Taylor Swift onstage during the 2015 MTV VMAs in Los Angeles, on Aug. 30, 2015.Kevin Winter—Getty Images
Celebrity Sightings In New York City - September 16, 2015
Kanye West and North West in Soho, New York City, on Sept. 16, 2015.Raymond Hall—Getty Images
Kanye West Yeezy Season 3 - Runway
Kanye West performs during Kanye West Yeezy Season 3 in New York City, on Feb. 11, 2016.Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images
Celebrities At The Los Angeles Lakers Game
Kanye West attends Kobe Bryant's last game with the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center in Los Angeles, on April 13, 2016.Noel Vasquez—Getty Images
"Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" Costume Institute Gala - Arrivals
Kanye West attends the Met Gala in New York City, on May 2, 2016.Larry Busacca—Getty Images
Celebrity Sightings in New York City - August 29, 2016
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, with Saint West, left, and North West, right, in New York City, on Aug. 29, 2016.Alo Ceballos—Getty Images
Kanye West In Concert - New York, NY
Kanye West performs during his Saint Pablo Tour at Madison Square Garden in New York City, on Sept. 6, 2016.Kevin Mazur—Getty Images
POLITICS-US-TRUMP
Donald Trump and Kanye West at Trump Tower in New York City, on Dec. 13, 2016.Timothy A. Clary—AFP/Getty Images
Celebrity Sightings in New York City - February 15, 2017
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in New York City, on Feb. 15, 2017.Marc Piasecki—Getty Images

More Must-Reads from TIME

Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com