The True Cost of the Kim Kardashian-Kanye West Divorce

Confirmation of rumors

After months of rumors and speculation on the state of their relationship, Kim Kardashian has officially filed for divorce from her husband of about 7 years, Kanye West. In the months before the filing, the couple had been an endless source of celebrity gossip and brand sponsorships. Their marriage was also documented in E! Network’s popular reality TV series Keeping up with the Kardashians.

Various sources have confirmed that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have been living separately in the months before Kim filed for divorce. Kim has been living in their Calabasas mansion with the four children while Kanye has been living in their Wyoming ranch. The couple has also been on and off therapy for the last year, discussing any possible resolution and even a split-off.

Christy Welder, a spokeswoman for Kim Kardashian, confirmed the rumors of the divorce. She cited that the divorce is amicable and that Kim requested for joint custody of their four children: North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm. It is believed that Kanye West will not be contesting the arrangements.

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Pinterest Get Link

Comments

Possible reasons for the divorce

The decision to divorce is not surprising as it comes after months of marital problems that drove conversations on social media and other channels. Several sources claim that Kanye had become increasingly uncomfortable with the flashy and over-the-top lifestyle of his wife and her family. He found the family, and especially the matriarch, Kris Jenner, unbearable. And although he had starred in the reality TV series, Kim acknowledged that he was shy on camera. 

Some of the couple’s marital problems were partially fueled by Kanye’s mental state and his diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Kim had actually done a lot to support his psychological well-being, but it is clear that it was not enough. For example, in 2016, Kanye was hospitalized for a psychiatric emergency that triggered a lot of speculation. In 2019, he released an album titled “Jesus is King”. The album came after his conversion to Christianity which was met with a lot of criticism from the Christian community.

The final blow probably came when Kanye announced his bid for the 2020 US presidential elections. This move surprised a lot of the people close to him as it was a long-shot to the presidency of the world’s largest nation. During his first campaign rally for the elections, Kanye broke down in tears in front of a crowd as he rambled on about Planned Parenthood and his anti-abortion stance. 

The Kim Kardashian and Kanye West love story

Although the influential celebrity couple has decided to call it quits, their magical love story is undeniable. The two first met in 2003, while Kim was working as an assistant for Brandy, a popular singer and songwriter. Kanye was recording a song with Brandy, and so the pair spent some time together as Kanye and Brandy did a video shoot together. At the time, Kanye had never heard of Kim or the popular Kardashian family, so he kept probing his friends for clues. 

At the time, Kim was married to Damon Thomas, but she and Kanye remained good friends. Kanye West would later reveal that he was drawn to Kim from the first time that he laid his eyes on her, and he just knew that he wanted her to spend more time with her. 

The pair remained friends for a long time, and in 2011, they began dating. On Kim’s 33rd birthday, West popped the question with an $8 million cushion-cut diamond ring in what is considered one of the most popular celebrity proposals. After two years of dating, they got married in a lavish $2.8 million ceremony at Fort di Belvedere in Florence, Italy. 

The couple welcomed a bouncing baby-girl in June 2013 and named her North West, an idea that sparked a lot of online conversations. The couple later welcomed 3 children in the course of their marriage. 

Division of assets after the divorce

The divorce settlement talks have begun, but the couple is yet to agree on the division of their properties. The couple has a combined net worth of $2.1 billion, so there is plenty of wealth to fight over. However, the division of assets is likely to be a lot smoother than expected, considering that they had signed a prenuptial agreement. 

Both Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have businesses which they own and operate independently. For example, Kanye West is behind the Yeezy shoe line. It is an official collaboration between Adidas and Kanye West, where he designs a lineup of chunky non-athletic sneakers while Adidas takes care of the manufacturing, advertising and distribution. The collaboration is a multi-million dollar business that generated about $1.7 billion in revenues in 2020. Kanye is the sole owner of the Yeezy venture, from which he earns royalties of about 11%. 

Kim Kardashian West is the brains behind KKW Beauty, a cosmetics company that provides a wide range of products such as: lip makeup, facial makeup and a collection of body makeup. According to Forbes, the Kardashian has 72% stake in the company, translating to about $500 million. In 2019, Kim sold a 20% stake in KKW Beauty to Coty, a cosmetics giant, for $200 million in cash. She has also earned millions from starring in the popular TV series Keeping up with the Kardashians, her mobile application and various brand sponsorships and modeling gigs.

Although the pair is likely to retain ownership and any income from their individual ventures, things are likely to get more complicated when dividing their joint assets. Their joint assets include their shared real estate projects in Los Angeles, Miami and Wyoming, cars, art, jewelry, and other toys. For example, their Calabasas family home is likely to be a source of conflict. The couple allegedly paid $40 million to buy the house and spent $20 million more to renovate the house, complete with a $30,000 bathroom sink. 

According to an inside source, Kim is trying to get Kanye to hand over the house to her and the kids, claiming that it is their home. Things are bound to get a lot more complicated considering that she owns all the land around the house while Kanye owns the house itself.