Kanye West Wanted To Change His Name To “Christian Billionaire Ye”

In a 2022 interview with conservative commentator Candace Owens that recently became publicly available, Kanye West makes a number of statements. It’s expected for Ye, whose public perception has arguably never been lower than it is right now. The interview, filmed shortly after Ye made antisemitic remarks that caused him to lose his highest-profile sponsorships, touches on a variety of topics. Ye addresses the comments and “White Lives Matter” marketing. He gives props to Drake and Jay-Z, two artists he previously fell out with. He calls the former the greatest of all time by sales and the latter the greatest of all time when discussing inspirations.

During the interview, he also claims that he considered changing his name to “Christian Billionaire Ye.” “My name is Ye. I take it like you’re calling Caitlyn [Jenner] ‘Bruce.’ My name is Ye. Also, refer to me as ‘Billionaire.’ Christian Billionaire Ye,” says Ye in the clip. “Matter of fact, I may legally change my name to ‘Christian Billionaire Ye’, so you’re forced to call me it.” On a ranking of the most questionable decisions Ye’s made, a name change like that would have been on the lower end.

Kanye West sitting down with Candace Owens is not surprising. Owens attended the fashion show where Ye debuted the “White Lives Matter” shirts, even wearing one herself. The two were friends at the time of the interview’s filming, though it is unclear if the two have had a change in their relationship. Ye is known for burning bridges, even with those who seem to align with his beliefs. Owens claimed that she sat on the interview for so long because she was waiting for “the right time.” One can assume that this was the right time, in her mind.

Kanye West recently released Vultures 2, the second of what is intended to be a trilogy of collaborative albums with Ty Dolla $ign. The album has received mainly negative reception, with even Ye’s biggest fans calling it a dud. You can read our review of the new release here. “Christian Billionaire Ye” probably would not have caught on, but it is a uniquely “Kanye” idea to believe otherwise.