What is the first name of Kanye West's father? His first name is Ray.
Ray West is Kanye West's father. He was a former Black Panther and became one of the first Black photojournalists at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After Kanye's parents divorced when he was young, Kanye moved with his mother, Donda West, to Chicago, while Ray continued his own career.
Ray later worked as a Christian counselor. In 2006, he opened the Good Water Store and Café in Lexington Park, Maryland, using startup capital from his son. The business reflected Ray's interest in wellness and community-oriented work.
Kanye was born in Atlanta on June 8, 1977, and was raised primarily in Chicago. A common mix-up is to confuse Ray West with Donda West, Kanye's mother, an English professor who later became his manager. Kanye's legal name changed to Ye in 2021, but his father's first name remains Ray.