Kanye West and Jay-Z are perhaps the two biggest names in the hip-hop scene today. With a constant influx of great talent coming in, these two gentlemen have always held their own in their industry.
Discover our latest podcast
The world has seen it all when it comes to their relationship - the ups and the downs. We’ve seen friendship and adoration, great collaborations, alleged feuds and sudden patching-up. Which brings us to the question, when did it go wrong between Kanye and Jay-Z?
The early days of their friendship
As per The Sun, Jay-Z and Kanye were the closest of friends in hip-hop and have collaborated over the years since the 90s. In fact, it was Jay-Z who discovered Kanye, the father of four children, and mentored him for years after that. Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records signed Kanye as an artist for the very first time.
It has also been reported that this collaboration helped Jay-Z to make a big comeback.
However, as it is with the music industry, not all relationships can withhold all the drama that comes with such a lifestyle.
The feud between Jay-Z and Kanye
Indeed, the hip-hop duo then allegedly had a falling out, and there wasa rift between them. According to Good Housekeeping, Kanye publicly ranted about Jay-Z in 2016 for not contacting him. After this statement, Jay-Z commented in 2017 that their relationship is complicated, much like siblings, given the underlying competition. He said:
That's my brother, we’re beyond friends. Really, my little brother is Kanye. And like, [with] your little brother, things happen sometimes.
It’s still your sibling forever, it’s my brother. We don’t come from the same mom and dad but I watched Kanye from without an album.
However, rumours that the two 'brothers' were drifting apart started long before Kanye's public rant. It is said that the tension between the creations of Otis started way before, in 2009. In an incident at the VMAs, Kanye performed an act of stage invasion and upstaged both Taylor Swift and Beyonce.
In 2014, speculation that the two were no longer friends only became more rampant after Jay-Z and Beyonce did not show up at Kanye and Kim's wedding.
Despite all the whispers, in 2021 Kanye and Jay-Z put rumours to rest with a move that shocked their fans. Kanye released his new album Donda with the ultimate surprise—he collaborated with Jay-Z on one of the tracks.
Since then, the two artists have not collaborated and have not been seen together either. It remains unknown whether the two have buried the hatchet in their personal lives, or if they have a hatchet to bury at all. But it is clear that their relationship has certainly changed from what it used to be.
Read more:
⋙ Kanye West teases US Presidential run for 2024, here's everything we know
⋙ Kanye West's mental health condition, bipolar disorder, explained
⋙ Kanye West warns Justin Bieber in latest rant after Hailey goes against the Yeezy designer
⋙ Kim Kardashian: Kanye West makes outrageous remarks against ex-wife, here are all the details
Sources used:
Good Housekeeping: The 20 Most Famous Celebrity Feuds of All Time We'll Never Forget
The Sun: Kanye West vs Jay-Z feud explained - when were they friends and have they made up
Popsugar: Is Kanye West and JAY-Z's Feud Officially Over? It Sure Seems Like It
