PHOTOS: KANYE WEST Through The Ages... Inspired to Succeed

A young Kanye West is seen in childhood snaps as he's described as an ambitious 'small kid' who predicted his success in high school He was once small but his dreams were always big.

Several childhood snaps of Kanye West have just emerged following the death of his grandfather Portwood Williams Sr. on August 10 at age 98.

The 36-year-old rapper, whose net worth is $100 million, had a modest middle-class upbringing in suburban Illinois.


1991 middle school graduation! Several childhood snaps of Kanye West have just emerged following the death of his grandfather Portwood Williams Sr. on August 10 at age 98

In one shot the tiny 21-time Grammy winner proudly holds up his 1991 middle school graduation cap.


In another grainy image, a skinny white-socked Kanye is surrounded by a crude sampler, keyboard, and several sound/mixing boards.


One 2002 picture shows the Black Skinhead hitmaker suited up wearing glasses with a hand-written note.


'Thank you 4 giving me all the advice I needed 2 go into the real world and be successful! Love, Kanye West'






His home recording studio! The 36-year-old rapper, whose net worth is $100 million, had a modest middle-class upbringing in suburban Illinois





'He was going to be best rapper in the whole world': The 21-time Grammy winner strikes a pose next to a keyboard while clad in a V-neck jumper in this early '90s snap



Working for Roc-A-Fella Records: One 2002 picture shows the Black Skinhead hitmaker suited up wearing glasses with a hand-written note

Born in 1977 Atlanta, Kanye's parents - English professor Donda West and Christian counselor Ray West - divorced by the time he was three.


He moved with his mother to Chicago then Nanjing, China before settling in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois.

West began writing poetry at five and became fascinated with rapping and drawing by age eight.

At 13, the precocious child persuaded his mother to pay $25/hour in studio time so he could record his first rap song - Green Eggs and Ham.



'I got A's and B's. And I'm not even frontin'': Kanye recorded his first rap song at age 13 and he did academically well while attending Polaris High School in Oak Lawn, IL


Follow GistaNaija on Twitter @GistaNaija and Facebook GistaNigeria
Weird Stories | Small Business Guide | Infotech Arena Tech News