Kanye West's net worth is in for a boost. The rapper released the untitled first single off the much-anticipated "Cruel Winter" album. The single comes just months following the lukewarm release of "The Life of Pablo" and Kanye's public announcement of his $53 million debt.
Although Kanye's net worth is in the hundreds of millions, the rapper is known to have staked millions of dollars in numerous ventures, some of which have fallen flat. He and his wife, reality star Kim Kardashian, are also known for spending lavishly on gifts, travel and more.
Learn about Kanye West's net worth, spending habits and business ventures, and the release of the "Cruel Winter" single.
Related: 20 Outrageous Purchases That Led Kanye Into Debt
Kanye West's 'Cruel Winter' Single Debuts
On June 3, Kanye West released the first single from "Cruel Winter," the long-awaited followup album to G.O.O.D. Music's "Cruel Summer." The untitled single features guests artists 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Travis Scott and Gucci Mane, among others.
Kanye noted on Big Boy in the Morning the single would undergo further mixing before the release of the "Cruel Winter" album. That album will also feature a 15-minute version of Desiigner's "Panda." The single dropped just on the heels of Travis Scott's "Pick Up the Phone" record, which features Young Thug and Quavo.
With less-than-stellar sales of "The Life of Pablo," the "Cruel Winter" single and forthcoming album could help Kanye's ailing net worth.
Kanye West Net Worth: $145 Million
Kanye West's net worth is $145 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, and his wife Kim Kardashian's net worth is $85 million, bringing the couple's total fortune to $230 million. The duo is known for their extravagant spending, which started with an estimated $6.2 million marriage proposal and nuptials that cost around $2.8 million -- without adding in the expenses for their pre-wedding festivities in Paris.
Despite their nine-digit net worth, the couple and their children have been living with Kardashian mother Kris Jenner in her Calabasas, Calif., home since 2013. They purchased a Bel Air, Calif., mansion in 2013 for $9 million and spent $2 million renovating it. Without ever moving in, the duo put the mansion on the market in November 2015 -- where it currently sits -- for more than $20 million.
In August 2014, they purchased a $20 million mansion in Hidden Hills, Calif., but have yet to move in as the estate is currently undergoing its second round of pricey renovations, including features like $20,000 faucets.
Kanye West and his family also travel a lot, sometimes on commercial flights but typically on pricey private jets. On Tuesday, Feb. 15, Kim, Kanye and their children flew on a Club Jet Falcon 50 from New Jersey to Van Nuys, Calif., a one-way flight that cost them approximately $50,000.
Whether they're on the road or at home in California, the rapper enjoys spoiling his wife and recently bought her 150 gifts for Christmas -- purchased by sending his assistant to Italy and shopping via Skype.
The two also have an affinity for expensive cars. Kanye owns a Mercedes-Maybach (2016 models start at $189,350) and Kim has a Rolls-Royce Ghost (prices start around $300,000). He also purchased two armored cars for a total of $1 million in 2013.
See: 10 Celebrities You Didn't Know Have Major Debt
Kanye West Debt: $53 Million
On Feb. 13, in the middle of yet another epic Kanye West rant on Twitter, the rapper shocked the internet by announcing he was $53 million in personal debt. Known for his lavish lifestyle, fans didn't know if the Kanye West debt announcement should be taken seriously, as it seemed incomprehensible that he could actually be broke.
I write this to you my brothers while still 53 million dollars in personal debt... Please pray we overcome... This is my true heart...
-- KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 14, 2016
Despite his spending habits, Kanye West's debt crisis is likely not what it seems. In 2015, the singer earned a reported $22 million; in 2014, he earned $30 million.
Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian brought in $52.5 million in 2015, according to Forbes, which is nearly the exact amount of Kanye's alleged debt. In fact, two days after his $53 million debt announcement, Kanye tweeted:
Yes I am personally rich and I can buy furs and houses for my family -- KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 15, 2016
Days after his tweet, West was spotted sipping champagne and browsing the inventory at pricey New York City jeweler Jacob & Co.'s exclusive showroom. So, chances are his finances aren't hurting nearly as much as his fans suspect.
Kanye West Music
After a Feb. 13 "Saturday Night Live" performance, Kanye West debuted his latest album "The Life of Pablo" exclusively on Jay Z's Tidal streaming service. Days later, more than 500,000 copies had been pirated, putting it on track to become the most bootlegged album of all time. In fact, piracy has already cost Kanye $10 million in lost revenues.
The decision not to sell the album anywhere else might prove costly for the rapper. His 2013 "Yeezus" earned him $1.5 million and his 2011 "Watch The Throne" record with Jay Z put $2.5 million in his pocket, according to TheRichest.
A refusal to sell the new album and a subsequent flood of illegal downloads aren't the only controversies surrounding "The Life of Pablo." Kanye West also vowed to boycott the Grammys -- which he did -- unless the just-released record won Album of the Year. On the day of the Grammys, he also tweeted a request to Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, the New York Times and "any other white publication" not to comment on black music anymore.
Kanye West SNL Meltdown
The rappers' Feb. 13 "Saturday Night Live" performance and announcement that "The Life of Pablo" was finally available on Tidal almost didn't happen due to an epic Kanye West SNL meltdown that had him attempting to leave right before the live show started. Staffers claim the tantrum started because he didn't like the look of the SNL stage.
In audio recorded during the tantrum, he warns SNL production staff, "Don't f*ck with me." He also called Taylor Swift a "fake a**." West went on to declare that he is 50 percent more influential than filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, Picasso, St. Paul the Apostle and Pablo Escobar -- and will continue to be for the next 1,000 years.
Find Out: How Does Taylor Swift's Net Worth Compare to Kanye's?
Kanye West Clothing Line
In 2011, he created the high-end women's fashion line Kanye West, but despite his best efforts the brand never hit stores and ultimately cost him $30 million. The rapper also created a successful line of Nike Air Yeezy sneakers, but Kanye cut ties with Nike in 2013 after claiming they didn't pay him royalties.
He eventually signed an endorsement deal with Adidas that was initially valued at $10 million, but has likely increased due to the success of his Yeezy Boost collection.
Yeezy Season 1 -- a collaboration between Kanye West and Adidas-- debuted at New York Fashion Week in February 2015. This could be where a big piece of the Kanye West debt was incurred, as he told BET that he spent $16 million to launch the line. While total sales numbers have not been made public, Yeezy Season 1 was a hit with shoppers, selling out in stores across the globe.
Despite the success of the first season of the Kanye West clothing line, Adidas is not involved with the apparel side of Yeezy Season 2, which has yet to hit stores. The Yeezy Season 3 fashion show was held in Kanye's typical over-the-top form at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Feb. 11, 2016, during which he debuted several songs from his new album, led the crowd in an anti-Nike chant and announced that he's lowering the price of Yeezys.
Meanwhile, Yeezy Boost 350s hit stores February 19 for $200. He already has big plans for Yeezy Season 4, which he plans to focus exclusively on children's clothing.
Kanye West Entrepreneur
On Feb. 14, the rapper shared business plans he claims to have written for his Donda company four years ago. His strategy is all over the place, including everything from trademarks and patents for holograms to emoticon autocorrect and medical research for HIV.
Here is my Donda chart that I wrote 4 years ago that everyone laughed at... pic.twitter.com/g1po6Z3H55
-- KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 15, 2016
Many aspects of his plans are unrealistic, including the fact that multiple apps already offer emoji suggestions. So unless he has developed a keystroke technology so advanced it's beyond Silicon Valley's level of comprehension, he's probably not going to get patent rights.
Regardless of the feasibility of his business plan, Kanye immediately took to Twitter to ask Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to invest $1 billion in his ideas. He also sent a plea for startup funds to Google co-founder Larry Page.
Kanye West for President
During his acceptance speech for the Video Vanguard Award at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West announced his plans to run for president in 2020. The news shocked everyone, including Kim. But in an interview on "The Ellen Show," Kim later revealed that her husband was serious.
After the initial shock of his announcement wore off, the Kanye West president talk fizzled. But a recent tweet hinted that his plans are not over. On Feb. 16, Kanye said he supports higher wages for teachers, tweeting:
I'd rather teachers got paid more and books cost less ... #2020 -- KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 16, 2016
If he's hoping to run for president, Kanye will need to cough up a lot of cash. Startup costs for a 2016 presidential campaign averaged $10 million and are estimated to reach a whopping $40 to $50 million by the end of the Nevada caucus -- the fourth primary. To get an even better look at the big picture, Hillary Clinton is expected to spend approximately $1.5 billion to $2 billion in total on her campaign.
Kanye West Presidential Announcement
News of the Kanye West debt crisis will likely continue to make headlines, so stay tuned to see if there's any merit to his claim or if it was just another publicity stunt. To learn more about his presidential campaign and entrepreneurial ventures, keep a close watch on his Twitter account.
Michael Galvis contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Kanye West’s Net Worth as ‘Cruel Winter’ Single Drops