Recently, we learned about Kim Kardashian West request for an "imminent" divorce from Kanye West. After six years of marriage, Kim and Kanye may be over, following reports that they were already living "separate lives." Before they can even sign on the dotted line, making it official, there have been some rather wild rumors about the pair. Jeffree Star and Kanye West was certainly an unexpected way to commence 2021.
For this timeline, we're breaking down the minute events and dating history that eventually led Kim and Kanye into their relationship, as well as marriage.
Kim's First Marriage
The beauty mogul has been married three times, but her first marriage was pre-fame at age 19 with music producer Damon Thomas back in 2000. “He said he wanted to know where I was at all times,” Kardashian later claimed in her 2003 divorce proceedings, which were finalized in 2004.
The Woman Behind 808s and Heartbreak
Kanye West started dating fashion designer Alexis Phifer in 2002. They dated on and off for a few years until Kanye proposed in 2006. Eighteen months after their engagement, the wedding was called off.
The Infamous Kim K Moment
Everyone knows this story. Kim and Ray J reportedly met when she was working for his older sister, singer Brandy, in 2005. Ray J claimed she pursued him — and eventually cheated on Thomas with him — while still married to Thomas. In 2007, tapes that Kardashian and Ray J had made of their sexcapades were released to the public by porn company Vivid Entertainment. Kardashian at first sued to prevent the release but ultimately settled.
The First Meeting
Kim recounted the moment when she first met her later-to-be-husband, Kanye West, during the Keeping Up With The Kardashians 10th-anniversary special in 2017. She said, "I met him, I think, in 2002 or 2003. He was recording a song with Brandy, and I was her friend. I vividly remember hanging out with him, and then they did a video together, so I’d see him a few times. He was asking his friends, ‘Who is this Kim Kardajan?’ He didn’t know what my name was."
On to the Next One
During one of his breaks from his ex-fianceé, Mr. West dated Brooke Crittendon in 2005.
Short-Lived Romances
Kim was linked to former boy-bander Nick Lachey after they went on one date in 2006. Lachey said in 2019, "To say that she's my ex is a little bit of a liberal use of the term." She also dated Nick Cannon briefly in 2006.
Fleeting Sparks
After Kanye West's split from Alexis, he was linked to model Sessile Lopez when he worked with her on his “Flashing Lights” music video in 2007. However, their reported romance didn’t last long.
Love and Football
Kim and former New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush dated on and off from 2007 to 2010. Their relationship was one of the first serious relationships Kim profiled on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Reunited as Friends
A friendship between Kim and Kanye didn't solidify until 2008 when they worked on a television pilot together. "We worked together on a pilot for a show called Alligator Boots back in 2008 and I played Princess Leia," wrote Kim on her website.
A Tumultuous Relationship
The College Dropout rapper began dating model Amber Rose from 2008 to 2010. Amber Rose claimed in 2012 that Kim cheated on Reggie with Kanye, labeling her a “homewrecker.”
"Kim is one of the main reasons why me and Kanye are not together," she told Star magazine. "She’s a homewrecker … They were both cheating on me and Reggie with each other." Amber also mentioned in an October 2020 interview that Kanye has "bullied" her for 10 years, calling her a "prostitute" and saying he needed 30 showers after being with the model.
A Series of Not-So-Serious Relationships
In 2010, Kim was romantically linked to numerous individuals, including former Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin, actor Michael Copon, singer John Mayer, and model Gabriel Aubry.
Same Goes for Mr. West
Also in 2010, Kanye was linked with model Selita Ebanks, who starred in his 2010 short film, Runaway, Miss Universe Albania Angela Martini, Pussycat Dolls singer Melody Thornton, and model Chanel Iman. In 2011, the rapper was caught flirting with swimsuit model Kate Upton at an event in L.A.
Kim's Second Marriage
Former NBA player Kris Humphries proposed to Kim on an episode of KUWTK after six months of dating, and the two wed in August 2011. Seventy-two days later, she filed for divorce. Kim eventually told Andy Cohen that she knew their marriage was doomed during the honeymoon, but that before things got that bad, “I just thought, ‘Holy shit, I’m 30 years old, I better get this together. I better get married.’”
Introducing Kimye
Kanye, who had been pursuing Kim for some time, name-dropped his future partner in his 2012 single, “Cold (Theraflu),” while mocking Humphries, who played on friend Jay-Z’s NBA team, the Brooklyn Nets.
“And I’ll admit, I had fell in love with Kim / Around the same time she had fell in love with him / Well that’s cool, baby girl, do ya thang / Lucky I ain’t had Jay drop him from the team,” the lyrics read.
The couple started dating in 2012. By the end of the year, she was pregnant with the couple’s first child, daughter North West, who was born in June 2013.
Third Time's the Charm?
Kanye proposed to Kim in October 2013 at AT&T Stadium in San Francisco, and the couple had a fairytale wedding in Florence, Italy, in May 2014. The married couple had three more children, Saint (5), Chicago (2), and Psalm (1).
The couple has faced many scandals and much drama throughout their marriage. From Kim's fertility and pregnancy issues, to Kanye's mental health and bipolar disorder, the introduction of Sunday Service, Kim's legal pursuits, and Kanye's presidential bid, there has been much to strain the relationship. The couple has been living separately during the quarantine period with Kanye in Wyoming and Kim in California.
Now, sources say Kim wants a divorce and has hired high-profile celebrity divorce-attorney Laura Wasser. Twitter has been in a frenzy as rumors suggest Kim is dating political commentator Van Jones and Kanye is having an affair with makeup mogul Jeffree Star. Jeffree Star recently spoke up to debunk rumors, stating he's never even hung out with Kanye.
Do you think the pair should divorce? Let us know what you think about all this in the comments below.