Kanye West is currently an independent artist, having parted ways with Def Jam Recordings and GOOD Music in 2021. Throughout his career, he's been associated with multiple record labels, which I'll break down chronologically.

From 2002 to 2021, Kanye was signed to Def Jam Recordings, which served as his primary record label. During this period, he released most of his iconic albums, including "The College Dropout," "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," and "Yeezus."

In 2004, West founded his own record label, GOOD Music, which operated as an imprint under Def Jam. GOOD Music housed artists like John Legend, Big Sean, and Kid Cudi, while also releasing many of Kanye's projects.

The situation changed significantly in 2021 when West's contract with Def Jam expired following the release of "Donda." Since then, he has operated as an independent artist, releasing "Donda 2" exclusively through his own Stem Player platform in 2022.

It's worth noting that West's publishing rights are managed separately through Sony/ATV Music Publishing, though this deals with his songwriting rather than his recordings.

Current Status: - Independent artist (2021-present) - No major label affiliation - Releases music through his own platforms

Previous Labels: - Def Jam Recordings (2002-2021) - GOOD Music (2004-2021, founder)

I should mention that this information is current as of 2024, but given Kanye's unpredictable nature and frequent business moves, his label situation could change at any time.

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