15 Pics Of All The Women Kanye West Has Been With (Before Kim)

Kanye has come under fire lately by many fellow artists and fans for his controversial tweets. According to Vox, Kanye has been sending love to the President. Not only have these Twitter comments angered many people, they've confused almost everyone. However, the jury is still out on whether his current statements actually hold true to his heart or just Kanye being Kanye going against the “mainstream thought”, as Vox says Kim K tweeted out. He could also very well stirring up the pot as a promotional tactic for his upcoming new album. Whatever it is, Kanye is in the news and is going to stay there… forever.

How did Yeezy get to where he is now? What caused this skyrocket of popularity and media prowess? Well, we've got a theory that it's not just Kanye's unfiltered artistic spirit and over-the-top lifestyle. There's an old saying, “behind every great man is a great woman”, and we're inclined to agree. Working together breeds much more success than doing things alone, and for Kanye, working professionally together is typical in his relationships. This article is a tell-all of every woman Kanye West has dated, been connected with, or been rumored with since before Kanye became king. Without further ado, here are 15 women Kanye's dated… before Kim Kardashian!

15 Teyana Taylor Was One Of Those "Secret Girlfriends" (Or Was She?)

One of the biggest curiosities about Kanye West's dating life has been surrounding his “secret” girlfriend, Teyana Taylor. Folks, let's be real: Teyana Taylor is so incredible that if the two of them had ever been dating, Kanye would have bragged about it. While some news sites like Hello Beautiful reported at the time that Teyana and Kanye were dating, that might not actually have been true. Teyana Taylor told Complex News, “Kanye used to always like my outfits… We became fashion friends and we'd talk about different clothes and designing different things. We'd email each other different garments that we liked. That's how we became friends and super close.”

Not to mention the fact that Kanye West thinks she's incredibly talented and signed her to his label! Complex went into great detail reporting on all the close-knittedness of Teyana and Kanye, but don't get your hopes up. The two of them were always just friends. There's been plenty of other relationship teases like this, and they've mostly come about in the same way: talented artists, mutual respect, and a shared love for some aspect of their art. Keep in mind, though, that doesn't mean two people are dating. Take, for example, this next rumored Kanye ex:

14 Rumor Had It That Rihanna Had Him…

Rihanna has been musically linked to Kanye for a long time, as long as we can remember, to be honest. Rihanna's talent is far and away more important than her looks; while she is gorgeous (no one would deny that), she's, more importantly, one of the most prolific contemporary female singers… Ever. It's no surprise that she's worked with some of the biggest names in rap music, including Kanye West. However, the two of them were getting a little too close for Kim's comfort at one point during Kanye's marriage.

We learned from CelebsNow that “Kim was furious Kanye had kept the meeting with Rihanna a secret. She knows Ri-Ri has a reputation and she's always been suspicious of her relationship with Kanye… Kanye insisted it was perfectly innocent when Kim confronted him, but she's not sure she believes him.”

All this to say that it was probably totally innocent.

While the secret meeting was a little suspicious, there hasn't been much to say that the two of them are anything but collaborators.

CelebsNow reminds us that Rihanna and Kanye collaborated on Run This Town and All of the Lights, proving that they've not only been friends for ages, they've also been co-creating forever as well. While that's an important relationship, it's not inherently a romantic one.

13 Alexis Phifer Could Have Been (And Was Almost) Kim Kardashian

It's true! Kim Kardashian hasn't been the only woman Kanye wanted to marry. On top of some puppy love promises made to his first girlfriend (an old high school flame), there was a long romance that took place between Alexis Phifer and Kanye West, with him asking for her hand in marriage in 2006. PopSugar tells us that 2002 to 2008 were the romance years for Phifer and West.

However, not everything was peachy keen.

Phifer, a fashion designer, might have helped Kanye start out on the path to finding his signature style, but she certainly didn't want to walk down that road with him. Bustle quotes an interview with Vibe that she did in 2011, during which she was asked for details on her life with and life post-Kanye West. She said, “I think after experiencing being with somebody that is a celebrity, it's really nice to have your anonymity… I wish him the best in his future and all of his endeavors. He's one of the most talented people I've ever met." We have to agree with you on both accounts, Alexis. This woman is talented in her own right, but we have to respect her for wanting to keep her life to herself. We're glad that there are only well-wishes between them, even though the break-up inspired some of Kanye's more heartbroken music.

12 Brooke Crittendon Warned Women Away From Kanye

Arguably one of Kanye's most outspoken exes, Brooke Crittendon has had nothing but… Well, nothing but honest opinions about her time spent dating Kanye. Bustle lists her as one of the top four most important exes Kanye has dated, and we have to agree.

Not only was she involved with him right at the beginning of his rise to fame (shortly after everything with Alexis Phifer happened), but she hasn't been shy about sharing her opinions about Kanye and his happy relationship with wife Kim K.

She told The Sun, “I was never OK being one of many - or even one of a few. Kanye was very open and honest but it ended up with me knowing too much. I don't want to be silly and say it wasn't [him being unfaithful] because I knew about it. He definitely had an appreciation for the feminine form and a curiosity. As a celebrity, [romance] becomes cheap but his obsession with [romance] was more sophisticated.” She went on to talk to The Sun about how she watched their relationship on Keeping Up With The Kardashians-- Hopefully, she's happy that it's not her face on the reality show! We hate when exes are angry, and it sounds like she might still have a little bit of desire to tell the world about her time with Kanye.

11 2008 Featured Sessilee Lopez And Kanye Rumors

Sessilee Lopez hit the media scene hard when she was first starting out as a model and actor. Not only had she booked a couple gigs, but her career was projected to end up going swimmingly, as long as she kept up that work ethic high. And she did! Not only is she an awesome model and actor, but she's also one of Kanye West's famous exes. Apparently, back in 2008 (right after his big split from ex-fiancée Alexis Phifer) Kanye West was smitten with Sessilee Lopez, and she subsequently starred in his Flashing Lights music video. PopSugar reported this but a friend of Sessilee Lopez's ended up spilling all the gossip to The Sun.

The supposed friend reported that "Kanye was instantly smitten with Sessilee and it's not hard to see why… But it's more than just looks for Kanye, they get on really well and have a deep connection." Well, unfortunately for the two of them, Kanye never really got his chance with Sessilee Lopez. Outside of a few tabloid speculations, there was never anything official about the two of them being a couple. While she's well-known enough, and definitely a famous Kanye crush, it never really got past the point of “hey I like you”. Maybe that's for the best. After all, she still got to star in the music video!

10 Amanda Lepore Hinted At A Kanye Caress

This pin-up star has been the center of attention for a long time. Her star power has proved to be timeless, as many people still know her name. While the model is getting to middle-age territory, she doesn't look much older than her late twenties or early thirties. She is, however, old enough to have released a memoir. Daily Mail gives us the inside scoop, saying she “became a fixture in New York nightlife and has been featured in advertising campaigns for Armani Jeans and Mac Cosmetics, released her memoir, 'Doll Parts' in April. Lepore has become famous in part for her extreme plastic surgery. In her book she claims to have had an affair with a rapper, people have speculated she's referring to Kanye West.”

The whole rumor got started because, in her book, Doll Parts, she hints at how the rapper whom she's referring to has a wife with a similar physique to Lepore's.

Let's be honest, though: that's not hard to come across in the world of celebrities.

Hourglass shapes have been popular for ages, and while Kim K might have curves that are similar to Lepore's, he's not the rapper you're looking for. Daily Mail says that Kanye and Kanye's friends have all denied his having any involvement with the model, leaving this dating rumor to be just that: a rumor.

9  Amber Rose And Yeezy's Passion Burned Bright

Amber Rose is (arguably) Kanye's most notable ex. They were together for two years, which is longer than many of Kanye's relationships have lasted. After Kanye had picked his heart up off the floor after things with Alexis Phifer broke off, he found himself entangled in a torrid romance with Amber Rose. According to Daily Mail, Amber Rose told Star Magazine that Kim Kardashian “is a homewrecker! They were both [lying]. They were both [being unfaithful to] me and Reggie with each other… She was sending pictures, and I was like, 'Kim, just stop. Don't be that person'.”

It's hard to say whether this is true or not. On one hand, we have a hard time believing that Kim Kardashian would be that type of person. But, on the other hand, we don't believe Amber Rose would lie about something as serious as that. After all, she's pretty open and honest about everything else. Luckily there's been no hard feelings, and it seems like Amber Rose is much happier now not in the arms of Kanye West. And we all know that Kim and Kanye are happy together!

8 While Selita Ebanks Was A Brief Flame That Sputtered Out

Another model who starred in a Kanye West music video; we're beginning to see a pattern here! Not to mention the fact that Selita Ebanks is just as gorgeous as Sessilee Lopez; the two come as no surprise in the world of Kanye West's relationship history. Kanye, a handsome man in his own right, seems to have a bit of a thing for models. Many of his past relationships have consisted of women with modeling careers. Kanye is truly attracted to the successful, which is probably why he and Kim are so well-matched.

Selita Ebanks was a brief flash in the pan when we're looking at the entirety of Kanye's dating history.

She was popular for a while and even ended up as the star in Kanye's Runaway video. PopSugar tells us that they ended up having a special meeting in 2010, but the relationship never went farther than that. Whether that's because Selita Ebanks got too busy with work, or because Kanye got distracted by other people doesn't matter. What matters is that this relationship might have been important enough to immortalize in music video fame, but it certainly wasn't important enough to carry through into the future.

7 Melody Thornton's Name Has Been Thrown Around

This Pussycat Doll has a long history in the world of superstardom, which is potentially why Kanye was so attracted to her. Her vocal talent is incredible, and we all remember just how prolific the Pussycat Dolls were. Not only was Melody Thornton the youngest, as Ranker reports, but she was also one of the ones to go out on her own post-Pussycat. 2010 was a year of discovery for Kanye, as he was caught in that in-between space of getting out of a serious relationship, but being single long enough to want to be in another relationship.

While his connection to Melody Thornton wasn't exactly clear, it was rumored that they were together. According to Ranker, Kanye and Thornton attended various events together, which in the celebrity world is akin to saying that they're basically married. Daily News also reported at the time that Kanye and Melody Thornton had been together for a solid two weeks, just months after Kanye and Amber Rose broke up. That was the end of the gossip train, though, and it looks like Melody Thornton was not afraid to move on. Honestly? We don't blame her. Trying to get a solo career off the ground takes work, and you can't do that when you're distracted by relationship drama!

6 Chanel Iman Might Have Had A Whole Year Of Kanye

Chanel Iman was rumored to have been linked to Kanye for maybe a year, maybe just off and on (depending on w you use). Chanel was one of those Victoria's Secret models whose career kept getting bigger and better. Not only is she absolutely gorgeous, but her and Kanye's rumored romance kept her name in the headlines. It took her a long time to finally open up about her supposedly being in the Kanye club, but it never seemed to be clear. There are photos of the two of them cozying up together, but that doesn't indicate anything… people get close to people all the time, and it doesn't mean anything!

Celebrities have it rough because everything they do is under constant scrutiny. No matter how badly Chanel Iman might have wanted to stay quiet about her relationship (or lack thereof) with Kanye, it seemed like there was no avoiding the fact that she had to speak out about it. The Boom Box reported that in one interview, Iman said "rumors are rumors… Everyone's going to have something to say."

"We're really close; we're cool. We've been really tight since I first started modeling, actually… "

"He called me to walk in his show in Paris. He's a good guy. He works really hard at what he does, and when you're around him, you want to be at your best too."

5 Virginie Maury Was Less Of A Date And More A Sneaky Squeeze-Into-The-Schedule

This is one of those rumors that was absolutely confirmed. In 2011, everybody went wild over the fact that Kanye had been seen with some mystery lady on a balcony. Various news sites dug deep to try and find who the lucky lady was, but few of them could actually uncover her identity. Bossip reported back when the news was fresh that this latest lover is a lady known as Virginie Maury. She's French, and you wouldn't believe how the two of them came to end up on that balcony together.

Actually, maybe you would.

Kanye attended Cannes in 2011, and while in France, he probably decided that he wanted a really authentic French experience. Cue French actress and model, Virginie Maury. The two of them definitely didn't last more than a night, as a transcontinental love was way too much work for either of these hardworking superstars. Bossip reports that they spent a long time having some very public displays of affection on Kanye's hotel balcony, but that's where it ends. Nothing has been reported lately, either, leading us to believe that this relationship was a one-night-only special event and not a love-of-your-life drop-everything-and-commit creation. Not that that's bad! Everyone has their sneaky nights, but few of us are under as much scrutiny as Kanye.

4 Angela Martini Has Been Featured On His Arm

Unsure who Angela Martini is? Totally fair. This gorgeous lady mainly made waves when she won the title of Miss Universe Albania. It's basically a beauty pageant, which means that Martini fits into the typical fare of Kanye's past relationships: gorgeous, talented, and hardworking. Angela Martini was one of the exes who's a little disappointed that Kanye never made things official.

Daily News gave reports from a few different places, close to the not-a-couple that all said how much Angela liked Kanye, but how he was reluctant to make things official. They seemed to be stuck in that perpetually silly realm of “dating” for months. That time period where things are unofficial, not necessarily exclusive and people end up tuning into different relationship wavelengths.

All that being said, we never really heard much from Angela Martini after these rumors surfaced, in 2011.

While she liked the attention and the media support, she seems to have followed her own path in the world of (you guessed it!) modeling. Her Instagram page features news spreads, photos, and fantastic videos. While she might have never been Kanye's girlfriend, she's certainly never stopped being amazing. Check her out for some neat Albanian style.

3 Kate Upton Was A Possibility, But Not A Definite

Yes, even Kate Upton has been rumored to have been with Kanye. While this happened a long time ago (all the way back in 2011), Zimbio gave us all the details. Apparently, this was never an official “we're dating” thing. This was one of those sneak-into-the-VIP-lounge-together-and-hope-that-no-one-sees-us things. Sneaky? Very. But intimate? Nobody knows, and it's likely that nobody remembers either.

A lot happens at parties, and no doubt you've had your own experiences of sneaking into a room with someone; sometimes things happen, and sometimes you just sit around a talk.

Kanye has been vocally against Kate Upton too, though not in a mean way. Life and Style Magazine reports that Kanye said to NYC's Power 105.1: The Breakfast Club, "I have a love-hate relationship with the paparazzi, but actually I love them because they are empowering us. They are empowering us over Vanity Fair that want to say that Kate Upton is Marilyn Monroe… Kate Upton ain't Marilyn Monroe, Kim is Marilyn Monroe." To be fair, neither of them ARE Marilyn Monroe. Reminiscent of? Inspiring the idea of? Maybe. But many women have that. No need to get defensive, Kanye, even (and especially) if nothing ever happened between you two.

2 Candice Swanepoel Apparently Wouldn't Give Over Her Number!

This rumor is a lot of hearsay, which is maybe what makes it so delicious. Kanye has had quite a few confirmed relationships, but with a drive like he's got, it doesn't surprise us that he's had even more unconfirmed relationships. Rumored relationships are one of the juiciest things for tabloids report on. The speculation that can surround them is magnetic; just look at all the Hailey Baldwin and Shawn Mendes mystery that's been going on for literally two years now. While there's good reason to suspect the two of them are together, there's not as much backing behind the Candice Swanepoel claims.

Hello Beautiful reported that Kanye and Swanepoel were only rumored to be dating because of Kanye's fevered search to find out her number.

Hello Beautiful says, “Kanye has his eye on South-African beauty Candice Swanepoel, and allegedly has his reps calling around “desperately” trying to get her phone number after they met at the Victoria's Secret VIP Swim event last week.” Keep in mind that this is not our last week; this was back in 2011, pre-Kim. Maybe it's a good thing nothing ever came of these rumors; both Candice and Kanye are in happy, long-term relationships now!

1 But They're All In The Past - Kimye Is Here To Stay

Finally, we've come to Kim Kardashian West. This goddess of social media has shown us that no matter what you think about fashion, romance, and style, she's going to turn it on its head. The Kardashian clan is one of the most powerful influencers in the Western world; everyone can point out who Kim Kardashian is, even if you've never seen their show. When Kanye and Kim K got together, the sparks were immediate. Two of the most powerful people came together and made something great.

While their relationship started with rumors (as we discussed in the Amber Rose section), things have apparently turned out for the best. They're happily married and have several kids, and Kanye has never been more fashionable or successful than he is now. While there might have been some recent rumors about Kanye leaving Kim, it's nothing to be concerned about. Gossip Cop hasdebunked the tabloid tricks and pointed out tweets, public displays of affection, and real concrete evidence that Kanye and West are absolutely not breaking up. When you look at them, the power is clear. Kim Kardashian is a force to be reckoned with, and she's had a whole lot of influence over Kanye the last couple years. Kimye forever, in our opinion!

References: washingtonpost.com, hellobeautiful.com, hellobeautiful.com, jezebel.com, popsugar.com, bustle.com, ranker.com, dailymail.co.uk, phrases.org.uk, vox.com, brobible.com, complex.com, celebsnow.com, thesun.co.uk, dailymail.co.uk, nydailynews.com, theboombox.com, bossip.com, nydailynews.com, zimbio.com, gossipcop.com, celebsnow.com,