Unlike many hip-hop stars affiliated with gangs, Kanye West was raised by parents who were university professors; at the age of 10, he spent a school year in China on a trip with his Fulbright Scholar mother. Written for general readers in high school and up and illustrated with b&w photos, this biography of West describes his early life, his education, his personal and professional influences, and his struggles and accomplishments, including an MTV award in 2008 as the #1 MC. Reference features include a timeline, an annotated list of awards and songs, and a bibliography of magazine stories, books, newspaper and news service articles, web publications, radio interviews, TV and internet broadcasts, and public relations web sites. While emphasis is on facts, the books in the series are intended to be entertaining. Schaller teaches college writing at Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)