Kanye Omari West, the American rapper, singer, songwriter and pop icon turns 41 today. One of the most popular and followed rappers in the world, West is a globally recognised face in the world of music and even generally. His much publicized personal life has also kept him in news often. Kanye was born in Atlanta and grew up in Chicago, and first saw the limelight on him by co-producing shows, most notably for Jay-Z and Talib Kweli. His debut album was The College Dropout which was released in the year 2004.

According to various data, Kanye West is one of the highest selling artists of all time. With more than 100 million digital downloads and millions of music albums sold worldwide, Kanye can safely claim to be one of 21st century's most important artists. On his birthday, we get you a few quotes by the music star which will give you a peek into his personality.

1. My greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live.

2. Nothing in life is promised except death.

3. We all self-conscious. I'm just the first to admit it.

4. If you have the opportunity to play this game of life you need to appreciate every moment. a lot of people don't appreciate the moment until it's passed.

5. I'll say things that are serious and put them in a joke form so people can enjoy them. We laugh to keep from crying.

6. I know I got angels watching me from the other side.

These are just a few of his quotes that show how bold and outgoing Kanye West is. He surely has his fair share of critics, but that doesn't stop the star from being what he is and he makes sure that he continue to express himself through his music like he can or perhaps like only he can. Happy birthday Kanye West.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2018 01:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).