The rapper formerly known as Kanye West is officially now "Ye."
A Los Angeles judge approved his petition for a name change on Monday, Deadline reported. He had filed the paperwork back in August, citing "personal reasons."
the being formally known as Kanye West
— ye (@kanyewest) September 29, 2018
I am YE
But the change has been in the works for even longer — or at least since 2018, when the famously polarizing artist released a studio album by that name and made his persona Twitter-official.
He explained the name's biblical significance in an interview promoting the album that same year.
"I believe 'ye' is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible, it means 'you,'" he said. "So I'm you, I'm us, it's us."
No word yet on what the judge's decision will mean for Ye's estranged wife Kim Kardashian West, who has kept his (now-former) last name despite filing for divorce in February. He was among the list of celebrities she skewered while hosting Saturday Night Live earlier this month.
This story originally appeared on the Morning Edition live blog.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDAzMjM2NDYzMDEyMzc1Njk5NjAxNzY3OQ001))
