Kanye West’s once illustrious real estate portfolio has been reduced to a collection of neglected homes.
According to Brokerthe rapper, who goes by the name Ye, left a trail of destruction in his wake after squandering millions on lavish properties that now lie abandoned.
Images obtained by the outlet reveal the incredibly distressed state in which several of his other properties have been left.
From his dilapidated ranch in Calabasas, California, to his torched church and his crumbling Yeezy headquarters, the photos reveal the true extent of the neglect of Ye’s commercial and residential real estate purchases.
Its Yeezy headquarters, which the Gold Digger hit maker bought in 2023 as a venue for runway events for his beleaguered fashion brand, has been reduced to little more than a shell of the modern and glitzy Melrose Ave space it once was.
Today the building is little more than a concrete shell, almost completely demolished before work appears to have ceased altogether.
Temporary gray walls surround the building, most of which are covered in graffiti, while others have paint peeling off.
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Kanye West’s once illustrious real estate portfolio has been reduced to a collection of neglected homes. Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images
The musician bought the building for US$6.7 million ($10.3 million) through his firm Oxphaha LLC.
It has previously been pictured with piles of rubbish surrounding it, and workers were seen ripping off the roof.
The same year he took over the headquarters, he also purchased a Cornerstone Church building in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles for $1.5 million ($A2.3 million), with plans to convert it into a new location for his Christian school, Donda Academy.
However, the building was left empty and eventually burned down, leaving behind a pile of rubble and trash.
One resident said at the time: “I had no idea Kanye bought it, but… it’s not a good look for the neighborhood.”
On October 14, 2024, a massive fire broke out, engulfing the building in flames for nearly 30 minutes until firefighters were able to contain the blaze.
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Kanye West, once considered a real estate mogul, has left a trail of destruction in his path. Image: thisischriswhite.com via broker
According to The Sun, the building caught fire in a possible arson.
KCAL News reported at the time that no injuries were reported, but the building suffered significant damage from the flames.
That crumbling lot is now surrounded by a graffiti-covered fence and a no-go sign.
Beyond the big gate the land is full of piles of rubbish and dead grass.
In 2024, Ye was hit with a tax lien of approximately US$19,525 ($30,000), according to The Sun.
When the rapper seized the building, more than 12,000 community members signed a petition asking them to stop him from purchasing the land.
“Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, is losing sponsors and contracts left and right due to his harmful anti-Semitism — yet a California pastor says Ye’s recent hate isn’t a deal-breaker for their Christian business partnership,” those who signed the petition wrote.
“On December 1, Ye grabbed a Bible and shockingly said ‘I see good things about Hitler’ and ‘I like Hitler’ during an appearance on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ show InfoWars. He has previously tweeted other threats and conspiracy theories about Jewish people.”
In 2023, West purchased a swanky building on California’s Melrose Ave to host runway events for his Yeezy clothing brand. Image: thisischriswhite.com via broker
Although the plot of land is back on the market for $1.5 million ($A2.3 million), his companies, Yeezy Apparel and Yeezy Footwear, are still registered there.
Ye’s US$2.2 million ($3.3 million) Calabasas ranch has also fallen into disrepair in recent years.
The rapper purchased the property in 2018 in hopes of transforming it into a space for his Sunday Service gatherings.
After sprucing it up, he reportedly converted it into a bachelor pad, complete with two guest houses, six bedrooms and seven bathrooms.
West reportedly lived there with his ex-girlfriend, Irina Shayk.
West and his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, bought the ranch together for US$20 million ($30.8 million), and in 2021 reports emerged that Kardashian tried to get her ex to sign over the ranch.
Now little is left of the farm as the main house has partially collapsed, windows are cracked and tiles are missing.
The house is completely falling apart, while fragments of rubble are depicted crumbling.
The property is also for sale for $1.99 million ($A3.06 million) with Sotheby’s.
Ye reportedly sold his second ranch in Wyoming back to the original owners. Image: real estate agent
On October 20, it was revealed that Ye had sold his second ranch in Wyoming, back to the original owners for $14 million, amid reported money problems.
He returned Bighorn Mountain Ranch to the Flitner family, who first sold the land to the Bound 2 hitmaker in 2019.
His purchase of the property in 2019 marked the second time he has purchased a ranch in Wyoming; his first was picked up in an apparent effort to curb homelessness.
That property, known as Monster Lake Ranch, was listed for $12 million ($A18 million) in 2024 and remains on the market.
According to Cowboy stands dailyThe sale was notarized by Ye’s wife, Bianca Censori, on September 17.
The rapper bought the ranch from Greg’s father and his wife, David and Paula Flitner.
And while the family is grateful to have the property back in their hands, they noted that it looks nothing like what it once was.
“Unlike Monster Ranch, he didn’t knock down any buildings. I think maybe his original intention for the Mountain Ranch was somewhere his family could go and get away from the rest of the world,” Pam Flitner told the outlet.
The ranch has been listed and delisted over the past six years; and according to the Flitners, they repeatedly tried to contact Ye’s team about the property but were unsuccessful.
“A lot of people have said he was a really, really good guy and he was really working a lot of the time,” Greg Flitner said.
“So none of us can blame him for buying it and wanting to achieve something for himself.”
The Flitner family is grateful to have the property back, but noted that it looks nothing like what it once was. Image: real estate agent
Ye’s former beach house in Malibu, which he gutted shortly after purchasing it, is currently on the market for just under $35 million. Image: real estate agent
Greg noted at the time that the sale was “one of those things” that had to happen.
“We went ahead and contacted the real estate agent, and it was kind of rushed because it sounded like the people they were flying in to look at it, a lot of them were speculators,” Pam Flitner told the outlet.
“A lot of the ranch was sold when the mountain was sold. We had to make some real adjustments, and we just weren’t able to buy it back at that time even if we had wanted to.
“So fortunately, by the grace of God, six years later we are in a different position.”
Established in 1906, the ranch falls under National Forest lands and features lush greenery, livestock farming, wildlife, and several cabins and lodges.
It comes complete with a five-bedroom, four-bathroom cabin, with plenty of room for several people.
You reportedly picked up the ranch with the intention of holding his Sunday services there.
It reportedly includes heated helipads and walk-in saunas.
It’s known as his “therapy ranch,” because it’s where he sought solace during his divorce from Kim Kardashian, and where he made his album Donda.
News of the sale has many assuming Ye may be in financial trouble as this is just the latest home of his to hit the market.
Parts of this story first appeared in Broker and was republished with permission.
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