Kim Kardashian & Kanye West’s Relationship Ups & Downs: From Dating To Marriage & New Troubles

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West continue to keep us on our toes when it comes to their relationship. From raising four kids together, to facing marital drama in the public eye, relive Kimye’s relationship from 2012 to today.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are one of Hollywood’s most watched power couples. And, they’re one of few duos to receive their own nickname, hence: “Kimye.” Since 2012, Kim has been the only one who can make a sometimes poker-faced Kanye smile. While their relationship has certainly weathered its fair share of ups and downs, they’re still going strong.

Each May, the couple celebrates another year of marriage, following their 2014 lavish nuptials. From Paris, to Milan, Dubai and beyond, Kim and Kanye have traveled the world together and graced the cover of numerous magazines as a couple including, Vogue. These days, they’re doing just that, but with their four children by their side. Of course, no marriage is rainbows and sunshine 24/7 — Kim and Kanye have also dealt with their fair share of drama, which we’ll touch on. Now, travel back in time with us to recap their romance, as seen below. Additionally, take a look at more of their most romantic moments in our attached gallery!

Kim & Kanye’s First Date

It’s unclear exactly when Kim and Kanye’s very first date was, as the pair went public with their romance in 2012. They were spotted smiling away while on an ice cream date in New York City. Leading up to their debut as a couple, Kim and Kanye were quite friendly (and flirty). For example, they were spotted in New York City in October of 2010 when Kanye met up with Kim while she filmed Keeping Up With the Kardashians. At the time, she was rumored to be dating model Gabriel Aubry, while Kanye had just ended his relationship with Amber Rose. The Skims founder has shared the story of how Kanye pursued her for the longest time before they became official — with the Grammy-winner even rapping about being in love with Kim in 2012’s “Theraflu,” while she was still with Kris Humphries. The day after the song was released, Kim responded to the track during an interview on Today, saying, “Kanye and I have been friends for years, and you never know what the future holds or where my life will take me. I like the song.”

Kim & Kanye Welcome First Child, Daughter North West

Kimye welcomed their first child together, daughter North West on June 15, 2013. Kanye was first to announce the couple’s first pregnancy during a concert in Atlantic City, NJ in late 2012. Kim later confirmed the news, writing on social media, “It’s true!! Kanye and I are expecting a baby. We feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families, his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us. Looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family. Happy New Year!!!” Their baby girl was born a few weeks ahead of her anticipated due date.

Kim & Kanye’s Engagement

Kanye proposed to Kim at Dodgers Stadium in front of her family and closest friends, without her knowledge of an audience. Ye’, who got down on one knee in the middle of the outfield, rented out AT&T Park Stadium in San Francisco for the event, which also happened to be on Kim’s 32nd birthday on October 21, 2013. Ye’ coordinated a 50-piece orchestra, which played Lana Del Rey‘s “Young and Beautiful,” along with one of his own songs, “Knock You Down.” After he proposed with a square-cut, 15-carat diamond ring, Kim’s friends and family rushed out of the stadium’s dugouts to surprise her. “Please marry me” was blasted on the Jumbotron at the stadium.

Kim & Kanye’s Wedding

Kimye flew to their favorite destination, Paris with family and friends, where they enjoyed days of celebrations, while touring the lavish city and eating the finest cuisine. The celebrations led to the couple’s over-the-top wedding ceremony in Florence, Italy, on May 24, 2014, that featured a massive flower wall.

Kim & Kanye Welcome Second Child, Son Saint West

Kim gave birth to their second child, a baby boy named Saint West on December 5, 2015. She took to her website to reveal the exciting news, where Kim let fans know that both she and the baby were doing well. The couple revealed their baby boy’s name two days later. Before conceiving Saint, Kim told her sister Khloe Kardashian during a March 2015 episode of KUWTK that she and Ye have “been having sex 500 times a day” to try and conceive their second child.

Kim & Kanye Welcome Third Child, Daughter Chicago West

Kimye welcomed their third child and second daughter, Chicago West on January 15, 2018, via surrogate. The KKW Beauty founder was candid about suffering from preeclampsia during her first two pregnancies, which is why the couple turned to surrogacy to expand their family. “We are incredibly grateful to our surrogate who made our dreams come true with the greatest gift one could give and to our wonderful doctors and nurses for their special care,” Kim wrote on her app at the time.

Kim & Kanye Welcome Fourth Child, Son Psalm West

The couple welcomed their fourth child and second son, Psalm West via gestational carrier on May 10, 2019. “He’s here and he’s perfect!” Kim announced on Twitter at the time.

Kanye Supports Kim Through Her Paris Robbery 

On October 3, 2016, Kim was tied up by masked robbers who broke into her Paris hotel room during Paris Fashion Week. At the time, Kim was alone, as her security was out with sisters Kourtney Kardashian and Kendall Jenner. The robbers placed Kim in the bathtub while they raided her hotel room and stole thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, cell phones and other valuables. Kanye, who was not with Kim at the time she was robbed, hurried to her side upon news of the incident. The couple later flew, via private jet, back to their New York City apartment as soon as they were cleared by police to leave the scene of the crime. Following the robbery, Kim changed her lifestyle and became more private, as she noted during a later appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Kim explained that she wouldn’t post in real time on her social media, wear jewelry in public, or share lavish details about her life with the public. The robbers were later identified and arrested by police.

That Same Year, Kanye Suffers a Breakdown & Is Subsequently Hospitalized 

Kanye experienced a mental breakdown in November of 2016, which started at one of his packed concerts when he went on a rant about his friendship with Beyonce and JAY-Z. At the time, Ye’ claimed the hip hop couple didn’t reach out to him after the birth of one of his kids. The rapper’s breakdown led to an estimated 9-day hospitalization at UCLA Medical Center. Kanye later acknowledged the breakdown in a 2018 interview with Charlamagne Tha God. “I think I’m in a stronger place than I ever was, after the breakdown — or I like to say the breakthrough,” Kanye said at the time. The father of four went on to explain that the breakdown was brought on by “fear, stress, control, being controlled, manipulation… stressing things that create, like, validation that I didn’t need to worry about as much. And y’know, just the concept of competition,” he explained in part.

Kanye Reveals Kim Won’t ‘Leave’ Him After TMZ Controversy

Kanye faced one of his biggest controversies in May of 2018, after saying these words during a visit at the TMZ newsroom: “When you hear about slavery for 400 years, for 400 years? That sounds like a choice.”

The comment rocked the country, and Kanye even seemed to reference Kim’s reaction on his album Ye, which he dropped after the shocking interview. “Wife calling screaming saying we’re about to lose it all I had to calm her down ‘cos she couldn’t breathe / I told her she could leave me now but she wouldn’t leave,” Kanye rapped.

Kim Supports Kanye Through a ‘Bi-Polar’ Episode 

On July 20, 2020, Kanye unleashed a series of bizarre tweets, which marked the beginning of what Kim later admitted was due to his “bi-polar disorder.” Kim released an official statement on July 22 that addressed her husband’s “compulsive behavior.” She asked society, along with the media and public “to give us the compassion and empathy that is needed so that we can get through this.” Kim also noted in part that although Kanye — who she called “brilliant” — “lives with bi-polar disorder” the condition “does not diminish or invalidate his dreams and his creative ideas.”

During his Twitter rant, in one tweet, Kanye claimed his wife “was trying to fly to Wyoming with a doctor to lock me up like to movie ‘Get Out.’” He alleged that Kim was prompted to do the latter “because I cried about saving my daughter’s life yesterday.“ — He was referring to a bombshell claim he made at his first presidential campaign rally in South Carolina on July 19, in which he admitted the couple “almost” aborted their daughter North in 2012.

Also included in Ye’s rant was a since-deleted tweet about his mother-in-law, Kris Jenner, which read: “Kriss don’t play with me you and that calmye are not allowed around my children. Ya’ll tried to lock me up.” More wild tweets by the rapper followed — he even wrote that he’s been “trying to get divorced” since Kim met with Meek Mill about “prison reform.” All of this prompted Kim to speak out, despite being very private about the Kanye’s mental health to protect his privacy, as well as their children’s.

The Aftermath of Kanye’s Tweets

Kanye immediately apologized to Kim and asked for her forgiveness in a tweet in July of 2020, and Kim even flew out to Wyoming, where her husband had been staying at the time. Kim was pictured crying while talking with her husband inside a car, and despite the drama and tears, the spouses put their marital issues aside to take their four children on vacations throughout August of 2020. The family first made a getaway to the Dominican Republic, and then went glamping in Colorado.

Despite these happy appearances on social media, Kanye resumed posting tweets that made headlines in September of 2020. One of them contained a video which appeared to show Kanye literally peeing on one of his Grammy trophies, after calling out his music publisher Sony/ATV Music Publishing and record label Universal Music Group. Around that same time, HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY learned from a source that “as far as the future, [Kim’s] still weighing all options, but she doesn’t want to leave Kanye at a time when he’s struggling.”

“She tells everyone Kanye is her soulmate and she really does love him more than anything,” the source added. “The whole situation is sad.”