The 2009 TIME 100 Finalists

Cast your votes for the leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and thinkers who deserve a spot on this year's TIME 100. — By Brian Raftery

Kanye West

Jared Milgram / Corbis
  • Print

AGE: 31
OCCUPATION: Musician
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 1

PRO: After a jolting breakup with his fiancée, West flew to Hawaii for a few weeks and returned with 808s & Heartbreak, a deep-digging confessional that had him singing instead of rapping. It was the riskiest album of his career, and it still managed to go platinum.

CON: His constant reminders of how awesome he is kind of take away from his awesomeness.

View the full list for "The 2009 TIME 100 Finalists"