Kanye West Files Court Papers to Change His Name to 'Ye'

Kanye West is the newest entry on the list of celebrities wanting to be known by only one name.

The 44-year-old rap artist formerly known by his first and last names has filed court documents to shorten his identity to simply "Ye," his longtime nickname.

He began referring to himself as Ye three years ago, tweeting in 2018 that he was abandoning "the being formally known as Kanye West. I am YE."

His Los Angeles County Superior Court documents came to light last week.

The singer is in the midst of divorcing Kim Kardashian, who still retains West as her last name. 

His 2018 album "Ye" bore his preferred moniker. At the time, he told radio host Big Boy his new identity was not only an abbreviation of his first name, but also a biblical reference.

"I believe 'ye' is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible, it means 'you,'" West said. "So I'm you, I'm us, it's us. It went from Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye — just being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confusion, everything. The album is more of a reflection of who we are."

After a series of public breakdowns, the rap star has publicly acknowledged a battle with mental health issues.

Last year, Kardashian went on social media to ask for empathy as her husband dealt with bipolar disorder.

"I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions," she wrote. "He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a Black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder.

Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words sometimes do not align with his intentions," she said.

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