From facing stumbling in buying running shoes to becoming a sprinter who can rightfully demand signature sneakers from a brand like Adidas—Noah Lyles has seen it all! In the meantime, he does not hide his problematic childhood, where he had to see his parents separated. Instead, he has tried to wear those experiences, preferring to be firm on his route to his own success. Somehow, this kind of mindset establishes him alongside Kanye West, who almost had a similar childhood struggle.

Born in Atlanta, Kanye also had to see his parents separated when he was 3. But he didn’t let the situation engulf him. Rather, he went on to win peaks to become the pop marvel he is now. This kind of similarity in the life stories has its own play to dictate Lyles’s preference in the music artists and without a doubt, he picks Kanye West to be his favorite. 

In the conversation with “Mixed Feelings,” Noah Lyles said, “It is…Kanye West. I’m sorry!… I feel like I relate to a lot of Kanye’s life.”