Uh, Kanye West Officially Changed His Name And Fans Are Shook

That’s Ye to you! Kanye West has officially changed his name to his popular nickname and fans are shook. Sure, he’s been talking about doing so for literal years, but fans didn’t expect him to actually pull the plug on the name he built his career on. Now that the legal documents are signed, fans are in disbelief and are wondering what the update means for the legacy the rapper built under the Kanye West moniker. The tweets about Kanye West's name change show fans are equally confused and surprised.

Ye was born Kanye Omari West, and rose to fame under his original birth name. Through the years, fans started affectionately calling him “Ye” for short. On Oct. 18, the abbreviation became much more than just a nickname. According to several outlets, Judge Michelle Williams granted the change in a California courthouse following a petition made by Ye earlier this summer.

Why now for the name change? Well, it’s actually been a long time coming. He first hinted at the potential change in 2018 when he released his studio album titled Ye. He further proved his love for the nickname when tweeting about it that September. “The being formally known as Kanye West. I am YE,” he wrote.

Now that Ye is his legal name, fans aren’t quite sure how to feel. On one hand, some felt like the name Kanye will still be commonly used. “Kanye West changing his name to "Ye" is a fruitless effort cos he will always be known & remembered as Kanye West by majority,” one tweet read.

Many threw shade over the name change. “I don't think Kanye West changing his name will make him more likeable,” another person tweeted after seeing the announcement.

Ultimately, West’s name change left fans pretty divided. You can see all the reactions to his updated moniker below.

With more than 10 studio albums under his belt using the name Kanye West, it’s not one fans will soon forget. Moving forward, they’re going to have to get used to the abbreviated version.