There are a lot of things that Kanye West makes headlines for these days, and of course it’s for the questionable things that he says and does in front of the cameras and of course, on social media.
While a lot of his fans think they know everything there is to know about the rapper, that’s not the case. A lot of people who have worked behind the scenes with the hit maker and the Kardashian family say that he’s a totally different person behind closed doors. And quite frankly, we believe it.
As a matter of fact, there are a lot of things that people don’t know about Kanye as both a husband and a father. While it’s without a doubt that his career and his public persona or both very important to him, his role as a father is one that he takes the most seriously in his life. You can definitely see it with his each and every interaction with his kids. With that being said, take a look at our list of 20 things you probably didn’t know about Kanye West as a dad. Some of these will definitely surprise you.
20 He’s Proud Of His Kids
First and foremost, it’s safe to say that Kanye West is definitely proud of his kids, and you see it each and every time he’s either with them or photographed with a child in his hands in public. He treats all three of his children – North, Saint, and Chicago West – like the mini-princesses and prince that they are in his eyes.
Kanye is the kind of father that would drop whatever he’s doing in a heartbeat if his kids ever needed him.
After all, they are part of his everlasting legacy (without a doubt). He knows that their future is very important.
19 He’s A Hands-On Dad
Sure, there have been reports in the past that suggest Kanye West isn’t the kind of dad who will change diapers or get up in the morning to take care of a crying baby. But at the same time, he is a hands-on dad.
Whenever his wife Kim Kardashian needs help with their three children in public, Kanye is the first one to lend a helping hand.
And you can tell by his interaction with his kids that they feel very comfortable and most importantly, secure in his arms. Kanye is a loving father that would move mountains for his family, if he could.
18 He Puts His Family First
Kanye West is a very proud man. There are very few people in this world that would doubt that. And while his wife Kim Kardashian gets a lot of criticism from all of the nay-sayers out there, Kanye will always stand by her side, no matter what she says or what she does for that matter.
It’s safe to say that they act and look a certain way in public and are definitely very different behind closed doors. For Kanye, Kim is the mother of his three children, who just happen to be the most important people in his life.
17 He Loves Kim… No Matter What
With that being said, Kanye West loves his wife Kim Kardashian, no matter what people have to say about it. He’s even defended her in public on numerous occasions. Their marriage might not look ideal to some, but it’s what works out for them. Kanye isn’t the kind of guy who hits the club circuit or has late night parties with his entourage.
He would rather stay home and hang out with his kids and the Kardashian family.
For him, he can have all of the money in the world, but his wife and his children will always be priceless to him.
16 The Household Staff Loves Him
Believe it or not, Kanye West is a very humble guy behind closed doors. At least, that’s what his household staff have to say about him. According to OK! Magazine, the staff and team of assistants at the House of Kardashians and Jenners say that they love it whenever Kanye is around.
That’s because he’s nothing but kind and polite and treats everyone with respect.
Sure, he might have some very off-colored things to say in public from time to time, but the private Kanye is a very kind and humble Kanye, much to the disbelief of many people out there.
15 He Is Spiritual
This might be hard to believe (or not believe, depending how you know about Kanye West) but both he and Kim believe in the after life. As a matter of fact, both believe that their parents who have passed (Robert Kardashian Sr. and Donda West) are actually black crows. And yes, they are black crows that visit their family from time to time.
Kim told People Magazine, “Kanye and I always reference birds. We seem to see a lot of black crows… Yesterday Kanye took a picture of the two black crows that are always at our house and always together. We always say that they are our parents hanging out together at our house.”
14 They Are A Family That Prays Together
As we mentioned above, Kim has made it no secret that she is a very spiritual person and as a result, she often prays with her family. She might not be the kind of celebrity that is known for a certain school of though, but she does have her beliefs, along with Kanye.
Kim told People, “I can be superstitious at times. Like before going on an airplane. My family and I always step onto the place with the right foot first. Another superstition is that whenever we hear an ambulance, we always touch our hair. I also say a prayer that the person will be okay. I’m big on prayer and superstition together.”
13 He Admits To His Mistakes
Kanye is the kind of person who will admit to his mistakes, but at the same time, he’s not the kind of person who will apologize very often. But as a father, he’s willing to teach his children the difference between right and wrong. Kanye once misspoke about a certain topic, just to clarify his comments later on.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, he then said this, “This is something about the fact that it hurt people’s feelings and the way that I presented that piece of information. I could present in a way more calm way, but I was ramped up. And I apologize. That happens sometimes when people are … I’m not blaming mental health, but I’m explaining mental health.”
12 He’s More Open Now Than Ever Before
Fatherhood has definitely changed Kanye West. Many people have noticed that he’s actually more open now than he’s ever been before. Sure, he has his opinions, but he’s not afraid to express himself, regardless of what his critics have to say about it.
He told The Washington Post, “If I’m afraid to be me, then I’m not Ye, that’s what makes me Ye. I enjoy when people are mad at me about certain things… It represented overcoming fear and doing what you felt, no matter what anyone said.”
11 He's Into Art And Education
Say what you will about Kanye West, but he’s someone who is heavily interested and invested in arts and education. And with that being said, he will make sure that his kids have the best education on the planet. A lot of people don’t know this about Kanye, but he’s actually pretty well educated himself.
He won a scholarship to attend Chicago’s American Academy of Art and later transferred to Chicago State University to study English. As a 10-year-old he also spent one year with his mother in China (as part of her teaching position at Nanjing University) and picked up the local dialect pretty quickly.
10 He’s Honest
Say what you will about Kanye, but there’s no denying that he’s very honest. Kanye told W Magazine, “This year I literally tweeted after doing a fashion show, ‘Hey, I’m $53 million in debt and people say, ‘I can’t understand that. That sounds like MC Hammer where we don’t relate to that.’ It’s not for you to relate to that… the people who know what [...] I’m talking about know what [...] I’m talking about. So I refuse people who write me off as some rich kid taking a hobby, fashion as a [...] hobby or a fashion plate. How could you even dare to think that, that you’re on the same level of this, blah, blah, blah?”
Kanye wants to be taken seriously, and will speak his mind so that the world will know his point of view.
9 He Takes About Important Issues
If there’s one thing that Kanye has been very vocal about in recently years, it’s mental health. He’s very open about it with his fans and yes, his family at home, too. With that being said, there’s a good chance he will have an open dialogue about it with his kids.
He told Jimmy Kimmel, "Yeah. It's not an opposite, it actually drives more of how you really feel. It doesn't do the opposite. So I think it's important for us to have open conversations about mental health, especially with me being black, because we never had therapists in the black community. We never approached: Take your medication."
8 He Gets Criticized For His Appearance
Even Kanye West gets criticized for having a ‘dad bod.’ It seems like no celebrity can catch a break, but a lot of people have noticed that his appearance has definitely changed since becoming a father.
One source put it this way: “I’m not sure if people realize this, but Kanye is a very healthy eater/fitness guy. He’s had a full-time chef for his family for a long time – the guy even worked for him when Kanye, Kim and the babies lived with Kris Jenner – and he also employed (and possibly still employs) a trainer. I’d be willing to bet that Yeezy is still in pretty good shape physically.”
7 He’s Supportive
Here’s something rather cute and sweet that a lot of people don’t know about Kanye: he’s supportive, no matter who you are, or where you come from. As a father, that shows just how compassionate and what kind of big heart he truly has. He’s perhaps also the kind of parent who thinks that every drawing his kid makes looks like a Picasso drawing.
Kanye has said, “Sometimes when I see a bad performance and people still clap […] I wonder if they’re clapping because they liked what they saw or because they’re happy it’s over? Either way I clap, too.”
6 He’s Funny
Let’s face it: Kanye West is a very talented person, and there’s no doubt about it. But what a lot of people don’t know is that he also has a very funny side to him, too. Contrary to popular belief, he doesn’t take himself very seriously. He can sit back, relax, and tell a few good jokes with his friends and family. The rest is just part of his public persona.
Kanye has said, “I hate when I’m on a flight and I wake up with a water bottle next to me like, ‘Oh great now I gotta be responsible for this water bottle.’”
5 He's Highly Ambitious
If there is one thing that Kanye will teach his children, it’s all about being ambitious and yes, reaching for the stars. He doesn’t just sing it, he preaches it. Speaking about his Presidential ambitions, Kanye told the BBC,
“When I talk about the idea of being president, I’m not saying I have any political views. I just have a view on humanity, on people, on the truth. We are numb, we’re numb to 500 kids [losing their lives] in Chicago a year [...] If there is anything that I can do with my time and my day, to somehow make a difference while I’m alive I’m going to try to do it.”
4 He's Raw
We get it: Kanye West is one of a kind. But as a entertainer, a husband, and a father, he’s raw. He’s authentic. He tells things like it is. Also, he put a lot of thought into having a child before Kim Kardashian got pregnant with their daughter North.
He told Harper’s Bazaar, “Say if I had a child with a really bad mom, I would have to think more than if I had a child with a good mom. I’m just doing my homework early. I told my trainer today, I’m a mix of a 14-year-old high schooler and a 60-year-old guy. It can never fall into the 30s or the 40s. It has to be 100 percent 60 or 100 percent 14, no in between.”
3 He's Humble
Sure, a lot of people might debate this, but take away Kanye’s public persona and how people perceive him to be, and deep down inside, he really is a humble guy. The only thing that matters to him is his family, his wife, and his kids, all of who he adores.
Kanye has said, “I love being American, and I love family. I love having a family, and I feel so blessed, and I feel like God gave me exactly what I wanted, so now I have to do the right thing in God's eyes also. Just follow what God wants me to do.”
2 He Does Keep Things In Perspective
With all of that being said, Kanye still likes to put things in perspective. As a family man, he’s always thinking about tomorrow. He also knows that his wife and his kids depend on him. That’s why he’s managed to stay on top for as long as he has. While a lot of rappers come and go, Kanye West is still here today. And yes, we are still talking about him!
Say what you will about him, but there’s no denying that he does have icon status. He truly is one of a kind. Kanye once said, “For me, giving up is way harder than trying.”
1 He Will Always Worry About His Kids
At the end of the day, Kanye knows that the only thing that matters are his three children. That’s why he will always worry about them, their health and safety, and of course where the future will take them. But he knows that there are bigger problems out there. The things he worries about as a father are nothing compared to the average dad out there.
Kanye has said, “Do I worry about being in the public eye and raising kids? Yeah. Any situation you're in, you're gonna worry about raising kids. But it's champagne problems, too. There are people who can't feed their kids.”