Kanye West is poised for yet another moniker makeover. Almost four years after legally transforming his birth name into the moniker "Ye," the chart-topping rapper behind hits like "Stronger" appears to be ready for another name shift. His Chief Financial Officer, Hussain Lalani, has recently dubbed West as "Ye Ye" in several filings pertaining to the 48-year-old's business ventures, submissions made to the California Secretary of State. Documents, procured by E! News on June 10th, listed "Ye Ye" as the "manager or member" of West's companies, including Yeezy Apparel, Yeezy Record Label, and Ox Paha Inc.
It remains uncertain whether West himself has initiated legal proceedings to officially change his name. In California, a law mandates the publication of a name change request in a local newspaper before a judge considers the petition. As outlined on the state courts' website, "Publication must occur in a newspaper of general circulation that publishes legal notices within the county where your case is filed."
Historically, West, who co-parents North, 11, Saint, 9, Chicago, 7, and Psalm, 6, with his ex-partner Kim Kardashian, was drawn to the word "ye" due to its biblical prominence. He elaborated in a 2018 interview with radio host Big Boy, "'Ye' is the most frequently used word in the Bible. In biblical context, it means 'you.' Hence, I am you, I am us, it's a collective identity. My name transitioned from Kanye, which signifies uniqueness, to Ye, embodying a reflection of our virtues, flaws, confusion, and everything in between." At the time, he also titled his eighth studio album Ye, noting that it mirrored "who we truly are." He further shared, "I desired something that resonated with the universe's energy. I wanted my art to align with the energy the universe bestowed upon me."
Last month, West announced his departure from his verified Twitter account, then known as @kanyewest, which boasted over 33 million followers despite retaining his birth name. "I'll cease using the @kanyewest Twitter handle since my name is Ye now," he penned on May 31st. "I'll launch a Ye account, and that's just how it is." However, West isn't the only celebrity to embrace a different name.
