Kanye simply wants to be himself.
Kanye West filed court papers to legally change his name on Tuesday.
The 44-year-old wants to drop his entire name — Kanye Omari West — in favour of his longtime two-letter nickname, Ye, with no middle or surname name, according to a Los Angeles Superior Court application.
The paperwork, which dates from August 11 but were not filed until Tuesday, citing “personal reasons” for the change. The attorney who submitted the filings did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Before the modification becomes official, it must be approved by a judge.
West, who has called himself Ye on his social media pages for years, tweeted that he wanted the change in 2018, saying, “the being formally known as Kanye West. I am YE.”
His 2018 album was likewise titled with the nickname. He’s mentioned in interviews that it’s a word found throughout the Bible, as well as an abbreviation of his first name, which he enjoys.
He’s been conducting a series of stadium listening parties in anticipation of his upcoming 10th studio album, Donda, which is due out before the end of August.
