Kanye West has seen the value of his early artwork surge to an estimated $3.1 million.
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LOS ANGELES — Rapper Kanye West may be perpetually surrounded with controversies but his value continues to soar. The rapper has seen the value of his early artwork surge to an estimated $3.1 million.
The 48-year-old rapper created the drawings and paintings as a teenager while studying at Polaris School in Chicago, and they were first brought to wider attention when they were made public in 2021, reports ‘Female First UK’.
At the time, the works were valued between $16,000 and $23,000. They were later acquired by Washington DC-based entrepreneur and collector Vinoda Basnayake, whose purchase price remains undisclosed due to a non-disclosure agreement. Vinoda has now claimed the works are worth $3.1 million after having them reappraised under the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice in late 2025.
As per ‘Female First UK’, the collection includes five works, among them a circa 1995 drawing of Kanye’s mother, Donda West, who died aged 58, now valued at $335,000. Vinoda has now said the original television valuation underestimated the significance of the works.
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He told Page Six it “materially missed the bigger picture” because “they approached the work as typical celebrity art, which on its own doesn’t usually command major value”.
He added “the pieces should instead be contextualised as the opening chapter in the creative journey of Kanye West”, who he hailed as “someone who went on to become one of the best-selling producers, musical artists, and fashion designers of an entire generation”.
Interest in the collection has grown following coverage online and on social media, including by rap-focused outlet Bars, prompting Vinoda to speak publicly about the valuation. Kanye’s broader public profile has remained contentious after his series of antisemitic outbursts online led to his brand deals collapsing and the rapper being “cancelled”.
Huge events linked to Kanye have also faced disruption. Most recently, the Wireless Festival in London was cancelled after brands withdrew over his involvement as a headliner, and he was refused permission to enter England by the government.