# Kanye West is $53 MM in debt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220 "2016-02-15T18:20:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/41 "2016-02-16T07:09:42Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > I haven’t really seen his clothing stuff, but I find that interesting because he was one of the guys in rap who sort of ushered in an era when it was more acceptable to wear preppy clothes that fit, instead of baggy jeans and timbs or shiny suits. Of course he was called “gay” in all kinds of derogatory ways, but his fondness for skirts also contributed to that. > > Now, I see grown men wearing skinny jeans that look like they have a diaper compartment, and apparently that’s cool. > > Also, I don’t believe he’s broke at all. Ahem. He’s a gay _fish_. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/42 "2016-02-16T08:39:52Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Is Kanye’s fashion vision that it’s a post-Skynet world and we’re all just scavenging clothing as best we can? Serious answer - extras at his last show were told to [project Rwandan refugee camp vibes](http://themuse.jezebel.com/i-was-an-extra-in-kanye-west-s-fashion-show-and-it-was-1758758736). Love the instructions list: “No Fast Movements” “No Slow Movements”… “Greatest artist of all time”, ladeez an gennulmun ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/43 "2016-02-16T12:53:35Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I’ve seen better future slave gear than that. They look like extras from _Les Miserables_. ---
**Author:** ![Cold\_Dish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cold\_Dish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cold_Dish)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/44 "2016-02-16T15:38:50Z")
Maybe Ms. Swift could front him a few bucks. After all, if it weren’t for him… ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/45 "2016-02-16T17:56:09Z")
…that “bitch” wouldn’t be famous. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/46 "2016-02-16T18:30:49Z")
So why is this guy popular? Shameless self-promotion? Right place at the right time? Moron with charisma? Is everybody convinced he’s a modern day Che Guevara because he stormed a stage a couple of times? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/47 "2016-02-16T18:32:23Z")
While I firmly believe that Kanye West is either really and truly mentally ill, and/or really not that bright, the debt number on its own doesn’t tell us the entire story. It’s like noting that a profitable company like Apple or Exxon has billions of dollars in debt. Or… like looking at most homeowners and pointing out that they have tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Doesn’t mean they’re broke, just that they borrowed money. That’s not to say that Kanye’s not in a uncomfortable position, but it’s all dependent on how much cash he brings in, and whether or not he’s actually paying that debt off. It sounds like he’s rather juvenile in his conception of how debt works, and that may be part of the problem. I saw, based on some peremptory googling, that he brings in something like 22 million a year. 53 million in debt isn’t absurd in light of that- it’s about the same ratio of debt to income as a good sized mortgage to a lot of professional people, or maybe even less, depending on the income and the mortgage. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/48 "2016-02-16T19:25:23Z")
> [@sleestak](#): > > I am surprised anyone is shocked by this. > > It is pretty routine in this country for people to get really rich doing things that don’t really involve money (acting/music/lottery/etc) and then going broke. > > Nicholas Cage blew through about 150 million. MC Hammer blew ~33 million. Curt Schilling blew 50 mil. Tyson, well, he blew 400 million. > > Slee My favourite example is baseball player Lenny Dykstra, who when he went broke was said to have $50,000 in assets and “between $10 and $50 million in debt.” I mean, that’s one hell of a broad range, isn’t it? If the bankruptcy guy says “it’s somewhere between ten and fifty million” that’s basically him admitting “we have a garbage bag full of receipts and have no idea where to begin.” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/49 "2016-02-17T18:32:36Z")
Help get Kanye out of debt-[GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/kanyesmedicis) page. [It’s a semi-joke by a fan.](https://www.yahoo.com/music/help-kanye-west-debt-donating-141055337.html) > [@](#): > > The founder of the campaign, Jeremy Piatt, told Mashable that he’s “trying to help out the greatest living artist of our time while he’s in need… I knew I had to do anything I could to help, because as all my friends would tell you, I’m just a very giving person.” So far, his “friends” have donated $314. it’s now up to _drumroll_ $895! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/50 "2016-02-18T17:37:38Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > Probably his company owns the debt. I guess Kanye’s gonna live off of Kim’s $$. > > The worst part of the story, IMHO, was the nonsense about how he “made” Taylor Swift. > > [Article](http://www.tmz.com/2016/02/12/kanye-west-taylor-swifts-song-bitch-sex/#ixzz40GniDoye) > > Kanye is flat out nuts. In fairness to Kanye, Taylor Swift doesn’t seem to be too picky when it comes to [whom she’ll have sex with.](http://www.billboard.com/photos/1484087/taylor-swifts-boyfriend-timeline-10-relationships-their-songs/1) ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/51 "2016-02-18T18:17:15Z")
Pizza Hut responds: > **[Pizza Hut Just Epically Owned Kanye West on Twitter](https://fortune.com/2016/02/16/pizza-hut-kanye-west/)** > > Straight fire. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/52 "2016-02-18T18:23:24Z")
Does he owe Pizza Hut money? It’s funny and well deserved, but why would they get into a twitter war with that putz? ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/53 "2016-02-18T20:47:15Z")
Does anyone believe any of this stuff anymore? I feel like PR is very savvy about finding new and absurd ways of getting their clients’ names out there. Maybe I’m just cynical but I find it hard to believe any celebrity “news” story anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/54 "2016-02-18T20:50:23Z")
Sure this could be a creation of his PR people. But how does it help his image is it to portray him as deluded and broke? Because that’s how the recent tweets come across. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/55 "2016-02-18T21:30:38Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Sure this could be a creation of his PR people. But how does it help his image is it to portray him as deluded and broke? Because that’s how the recent tweets come across. Always the reasonable and rational minded question, this. Unfortunately the answer always seems to be: There is (almost) no such thing as bad publicity. i.e. His wife’s sex video. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/56 "2016-02-18T23:01:32Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > In fairness to Kanye, Taylor Swift doesn’t seem to be too picky when it comes to [whom she’ll have sex with.](http://www.billboard.com/photos/1484087/taylor-swifts-boyfriend-timeline-10-relationships-their-songs/1) That woman can’t keep a relationship for more than a couple of months. A lot of those are only one month long. I read a thing a while back that John Mayer said she won’t put out. And since the celebrities she dates can go to the grocery store and get three girls to take back to bed anytime they want that might be why her relationships are so short. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/57 "2016-02-19T00:32:56Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > That woman can’t keep a relationship for more than a couple of months. A lot of those are only one month long. I read a thing a while back that John Mayer said she won’t put out. And since the celebrities she dates can go to the grocery store and get three girls to take back to bed anytime they want that might be why her relationships are so short. I just want her to hook up with Adelle, and then they have a horribly painful breakup, and both do several albums about the fallout from that. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/58 "2016-02-19T06:08:20Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > That woman can’t keep a relationship for more than a couple of months. A lot of those are only one month long. I read a thing a while back that John Mayer said she won’t put out. And since the celebrities she dates can go to the grocery store and get three girls to take back to bed anytime they want that might be why her relationships are so short. I can’t be the only one that finds this sort of gossip lame. If she were a guy, she’d be excused as “just sowing his oats” and such. Seriously “a lot are only a month long”? So? It’s called dating. That’s what you’re supposed to do, right? Go out for a bit and see if you’re compatible. If not, you cut your loses and move on. Maybe she’s the picky one? Who knows? I’m also kind of over people saying she’s at fault for either screwing around too much, or now not screwing around enough. Even if she was just screwing around, so what? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/59 "2016-02-19T13:59:19Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Does he owe Pizza Hut money? > > It’s funny and well deserved, but why would they get into a twitter war with that putz? I just realized I was whooshed. Evidently, pretty much everybody is now trolling that putz with fake job offers. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220/60 "2016-02-19T14:51:42Z")
> [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](#): > > I can’t be the only one that finds this sort of gossip lame. If she were a guy, she’d be excused as “just sowing his oats” and such. Seriously “a lot are only a month long”? So? It’s called dating. That’s what you’re supposed to do, right? Go out for a bit and see if you’re compatible. If not, you cut your loses and move on. Maybe she’s the picky one? Who knows? > > I’m also kind of over people saying she’s at fault for either screwing around too much, or now not screwing around enough. > > Even if she was just screwing around, so what? Yep. Leave her alone. Seriously, if I were her, I’d be sampling all them fellas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-is-53-mm-in-debt/746220.md?page=4)