Here's What Kanye West's Exes Have Said About Him
Though Kanye West's most public relationship is definitely his high-profile romance with reality star Kim Kardashian, she is far from the only person to have captured the controversial rapper's heart. During the early days of Ye's career, the "City of Gods" artist was in significantly fewer public relationships. However, this ultimately shifted as his popularity grew. Naturally, as his fans became more and more curious about the Yeezy creator's personal life, some of his exes' opinions began making headlines of their own.
While some former flames had nothing but good things to say about Ye, others definitely didn't seem interested in remaining friends with the outspoken entertainment mogul. With plenty of West's exes offering up their opinions about the artist, fans of Ye are dying to know what his former partners really think about the star. Continue reading to find out more about what some of West's exes have said about him.
Brooke Crittendon said Kanye was insecure
Reality star and businesswoman Brooke Crittendon dated Kanye West from 2004 to 2006 (via The Sun). While the couple's romance certainly wasn't as high-profile as some of West's other relationships, their partnership clearly made quite an impression on Crittendon. The entertainer told the outlet in 2013 that she met West in 2004 when he was opening up for R&B star Usher in New York. Crittendon, who was working as an MTV production assistant at the time, said that West began pursuing her that very night.
Crittendon told The Sun that her ex, however, was very childish and insisted that he wasn't at all a macho man. She added that West was also woefully insecure and needed constant reaffirmation. "He was insecure as he couldn't be with me every day. I got the impression he worried he wasn't good enough for me. He needs people to tell him he is good and that he is needed and wanted."
Alexis Phifer wanted to stay friendly with Kanye
Alexis Phifer, fashion designer and stylist, dated Kanye West off and on beginning in 2002. The two later got engaged in 2006, but ultimately broke up in 2008 (via People). Following the split, Phifer confirmed that she and West remained on good terms. "It's always sad when things like this end, and we remain friends," she told the outlet at the time. "I wish him the best in his future and all of his endeavors. He's one of the most talented people I've ever met."
A West source also told the outlet that Phifer and the rapper went through a rough patch before mutually agreeing to break from their on-again, off-again relationship once and for all.
In 2011, Phifer told Vibe that she ultimately began to appreciate life out of the spotlight after having been with West. "I think after experiencing being with somebody that is a celebrity, it's really nice to have your anonymity," she said.
Amber Rose has been open about her feelings toward Kanye
Though the romantic relationship between model Amber Rose and Kanye West ended back in 2010 (via Us Weekly), the two still managed to make plenty of headlines for their comments about each another. In 2015, West famously stated during an interview with "The Breakfast Club" that he felt it was hard to be with another woman after breaking it off with Rose — but not for the reasons some might think. The rapper explained that he felt unclean after his relationship with Rose, and added that he had to thoroughly wash before he could ultimately be with future wife Kim Kardashian. Ten years later, Rose said she was tired of being linked to her ex-partner and told the "No Jumper" podcast that she had no idea why Ye continued to speak ill of her after their split.
In 2022, Us Weekly reported that Rose was continuing to distance herself from the rapper after his "dirty" remarks resurfaced once more. "I never got an apology," she said, "but **** it."
Selita Ebanks said she and Kanye West had a good time
Kanye West and model-actress Selita Ebanks were rumored to have embraced a short-lived romance near the end of 2010 after being spotted together looking cozy at the U.S. Open (via Essence). The model also starred as a phoenix in West's mini-film for "Runaway" and spoke about the experience during a 2010 interview with Vulture. At the time, she told the outlet that she was already "good friends" with West when she took the role in the project and added that West was a talented and formidable director without a shred of ego.
During an interview with Essence, Ebanks stated she'd taken her role in "Runaway" very seriously and stayed in character, remaining "phoenix-ed out" even when it was difficult to do so. When asked about a potential romance with West, the model claimed they weren't dating but "just hanging out because we're doing this movie together."
Rumored ex Chanel Iman claimed to be really close to Kanye
Back in 2011, Us Weekly reported that model Chanel Iman and Kanye West were quietly dating. At the time, Iman denied that the two were in a relationship, and instead chalked the reports up to being nothing more than rumors. She explained that the pair were very close and that West was supportive of her modeling career. "Everyone's going to have something to say. We're really close; we're cool. We've been really tight since I first started modeling, actually," she said at the time.
While West is fairly well known for his controversial behavior and some of his exes have spoken out about his actions, Iman appeared to have a very different take on the "Donda" artist and said, "He's a good guy." She added that West was very dedicated to his career and insisted that his work ethic was nothing short of inspirational. "When you're around him, you want to be at your best too," Iman added.
Kim Kardashian spoke up after the couple split
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West started a romantic relationship way back in 2012 and eventually became an infamous power couple known as Kimye (via Billboard). However, Kardashian later proved that some relationships aren't meant to last forever when she officially filed for divorce in 2021. After their split, the former couple continued to make headlines as outlets such as Entertainment Tonight reported that Kardashian was supportive of her ex dating other people. Still, despite the Skims' founder's apparent acceptance of the situation, it didn't seem that West felt the same way, and waged a vocal campaign against his ex's budding relationship with comedian Pete Davidson.
A source told Entertainment Tonight that Kardashian wasn't happy with West's response and spoke out in Davidson's defense. After West's antics continued, Kardashian hit back in a since-deleted Instagram story (via Buzzfeed). The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star complained that West's "constant attacks on me in interviews and on social media" were hurtful. Kardashian pointed out that the couple's separation was very hard on the couple's children and added, "Kanye's obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation so negatively and publicly is only causing further pain for all."
Irina Shayk wasn't interested in discussing Kanye
Kanye West was spotted with model Irina Shayk shortly after his split from ex-wife Kim Kardashian according to TMZ, which reported that the two began dating around March 2021. However, in an interview with Highsnobiety, Shayk herself addressed the speculation surrounding the pair. "Tomorrow there is going to be a rumor that I'm dating my doorman, okay? Then after tomorrow, it's going to be someone else," the model said at the time. "Look, there's always something there, and I'm just keeping it to myself."
In July of that same year, US Weekly reported that Shayk had distanced herself from the relationship. An insider told the outlet that the rapper and the model had less contact with one another and explained that Shayk wanted to remain friends. The source also declared that while Shayk still had feelings for West, she wasn't interested in having a public relationship. Not long after that report, People announced that the pair had split, with a source telling the outlet that the couple never had serious intentions for one another. The insider added Ye wanted to focus on work and making time for his children and pointed out that he and Shayk ended things on good terms.
Julia Fox called Ye the ultimate stunt queen
Kanye West and model-actress Julia Fox may have had a short-lived romance (via Glamour) in late 2021 and into early 2022, but it would appear that their relationship still managed to make quite the impression on Fox. As noted by Buzzfeed, the "Uncut Gems" star confirmed the rumors of their break-up herself in a since-deleted statement on Instagram while also calling out the Daily Mail for alleging that she was in tears over their separation. "@dailymail yall are straight trash I haven't cried since 1997 and I especially wouldn't cry over THIS!!" Fox wrote. Billboard reported that the actor was still on friendly terms with Ye after their break-up.
According to an interview with The New York Times, Fox said she saw the bright side of her relationship with West. "Look at the big picture," Fox stated. "That was amazing for me. The exposure was priceless." During the chat, Fox also referred to her ex as "the ultimate stunt queen" and said, "Kanye's not the most interesting thing that's ever happened to me."
Julia Fox said she never loved Kanye West
As previously stated, Kanye West's relationship with Julia Fox was far from a lengthy romance. At the same time, Buzzfeed News noted that after the report of their break-up Fox called out the Daily Mail for claiming that she was broken up about the split. However, it turned out that wasn't all that the "Uncut Gems" actor wanted to reveal about her feelings regarding her ex. According to the outlet, after the couple parted ways, Fox notably commented with multiple laughing emojis on an Instagram post stating that Judd Apatow was mocking the Yeezy founder. The model also posted on her Instagram story, giving further details about her thoughts on the situation.
Claiming that the media wanted to portray her as heartbroken over her break-up with Ye, Fox voiced that this idea was far from the truth. Calling herself a hustler, the actor then declared how she felt about West. She wrote, "I have love for him but I wasn't in love w the man." She then went on to joke about the idea of her loving the rapper, saying, "what do u guys think I am 12 years old?!" While the outlet noted that some people have said that Fox was using West for personal gain, Newsweek reported that one of Fox's friends, Niki Takesh, stated that her friend was self-made. "She was having dinner with Madonna before she met Kanye," said Takesh.
Kim K said people don't know everything about their relationship
In addition to her other statements regarding her now ex-husband Kanye West, Kim Kardashian more recently revealed that there's still a lot that people don't know about her and Ye's relationship. According to Buzzfeed, the reality star opened up even more about her split on the season finale of "The Kardashians." While speaking to the camera, Kardashian pondered her family's approach regarding one another's relationships. She then stated, "If people knew what my relationship really was like, I think they would be like, 'How did this last this long?'" Still, Kardashian said that she knows that she tried every possible option to try and make things work, so she doesn't feel guilty about her divorce from West.
Likewise, the outlet noted that the reality star's more recent statements came soon after Kardashian publicly apologized to her family for her exes' behavior. Buzzfeed News also reported that during an episode of their reality series, the celeb addressed Ye's past actions towards her and her family. Kardashian stated that she wouldn't let what's happened in the past happen again. In a confessional, she added, "I do recognize the impact that my relationship has had on my family and that I've never had the opportunity to just say, 'I'm sorry guys.'" Some of Ye's previous treatment towards Kardashian's family members include the rapper calling her mom Kris Jenner "Kris Jong-Un" and suggesting she was a white supremacist.
Chaney Jones claimed they're still together
As noted by TMZ, Kanye West and Chaney Jones initially coupled up in February, shortly after West's split from Julia Fox. The model started appearing at some of Ye's events like Donda 2 before they officially went public with their relationship. Things looked like they were starting to get serious and Jones even shared an image of a "Ye" tattoo that she'd gotten on her left wrist on social media. However, according to the celebrity news source, the pair ultimately parted ways after a trip to Japan. TMZ added that it was unclear as to who broke up with who. Shortly after their reported split, Ye was spotted with an unidentified woman at the movies.
While Buzzfeed News noted that Jones deleted all her photos of West from her Instagram soon after the break-up claim, they added that the model didn't seem to agree with the reports of her relationship status. Just a day after TMZ's report Jones posted a photo montage showing off her and West's partnership as a tribute to his 45th birthday. She wrote, "Happy birthday baby, I love youuuu." The model also posted a video of the couple together in a car and captioned it, "Laughing with you is my favorite." If that wasn't enough of a clap back, Jones directly called out the TMZ article commenting on the celebrity site's Instagram, writing, "Please stop posting and spreading fake news about my relationship. Have some respect, it's his birthday."