How much is Kanye West REALLY worth? The growing riddle of ‘billionaire’ claims as he taunts fans in warped ‘Nazi’ rant

IT'S the billion dollar question: just how rich actually is Kanye West?. The controversial rapper sparked fury today as he launched a vile tirade labelling himself a "Nazi", while taunting fans to "give that money back" and doubling down on claims he is a billionaire again. In the sick diatribe, he also claimed to "own" wife Bianca Censori, hitting back at critics by ranting: "SHE'S WITH A BILLIONAIRE, WHY WOULD SHE LISTEN TO ANY OF YOU?".

It was the latest outburst in a week that has stunned fans, following the fallout from Bianca's infamous Grammys appearance in an 'invisible' dress and a rambling interview where he claimed to have lost $2billion in a single day. The revelations came just days after he claimed to be worth $2.77billion, sparking speculation that he had rapidly rebuilt his empire after being dropped by a raft of brands including Adidas.

The sportswear giant cut ties with the mogul, now known as Ye, after he was widely condemned over anti-Semitic comments made in 2022, which were described as “hateful” and “inexcusable”. But as he risks further damage to his business empire today with another sick tirade, mystery swirls around whether his claims of regaining his "billionaire" status are genuine or another publicity stunt. Speaking to The Sun, those close to the rapper, 47, claim he has desperately trying to claw back his lost millions in recent years.

Another source close to Kanye told The Sun: “Ye has never not been rich, but his net worth did drop dramatically when Adidas decided to pull the plug. "He lost a lot in a short amount of time, but he never considered for a second that he wouldn’t get it all back again. That’s just how his mind works.”. Despite cutting ties with huge brands, Kanye has certainly continued to rake in huge sums from his music, including millions from 'listening parties' alone, while his clothing brand Yeezy has proved a reliable hit.

But having battled to clear a staggering $53million in debt while repairs to abandoned mansions, unpaid tax bills and lawsuits pile up, questions about Kanye's handle on his rollercoaster finances continue to mount. Back in 2022 the rapper's business ventures seemed to be doomed when Adidas cut ties with Yeezy. Sources say the mogul was determined to rebuild Yeezy and release new music, but his behavior is often still erratic, particularly when it comes to the treatment of wife Bianca.

In concerning comments today, he declared: "I HAVE DOMINION OVER MY WIFE THIS AINT NO WOKE AS FEMINIST S***. "YES I DONT MAKE HER DO NOTHING SHE DOESNT WANT TO BUT SHE DEFINITELY WOULDNT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT MY APPROVAL.". Former employees have hit out at his behavior too and began filing civil lawsuits in the years after he was canceled, with around a dozen still going through the courts. In May 2023, it was reported that Adidas filed a legal action in federal court that successfully froze $75million in bank accounts held by the Yeezy brand.

Kanye revealed on The Download podcast this week that he struggled to pay for things, while pal Justin LaBoy claimed he picked up his tab in a restaurant. LaBoy said on the episode it was the first time he’d known a billionaire not to have access to his own money. While the rapper has always had die-hard fans, many abandoned him after his rants in 2022 and some even started burning their Yeezy sneakers.

One man in Florida, Danny Shiff, said he had destroyed around 40 pairs worth approximately $15,000 after Kanye’s remarks about the Jewish community. It was a bad year for the musician, as he was also going through a public divorce from the mother of his four children, Kim Kardashian. They split some of their assets, and court records showed he agreed to pay her $200,000 a month in child support when the divorce was finalized that November.

Parting ways with Adidas over his rants was something that Kanye insisted he wanted in the long run, as he was frustrated with not having creative control. The source told us: “He's been open about the fact he felt he spiraled because he had no creative freedom. "In a way, he was happy he managed to legally get out of every contract he had. But then he had to start from scratch. “Ye is known as a creative genius, but he’s not a great businessman, and it’s not been an easy ride.”.

After his split with Adidas, he still owned the Yeezy name and its intellectual property, and was able to release new products and work with other brands. Although many longtime friends and collaborators stuck by him, there were also plenty who shunned the controversial rapper. Kanye later revealed he lost his billionaire status around this time, but he was far from broke. He has always earned royalties from his previous hit albums and had a property portfolio including lavish homes and ranches.