Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's rocky 2020: All of the ups and downs ahead of couple's 'imminent' divorce

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2020 was not easy for many celebrity marriages, and Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's union was certainly no exception.

The 40-year-old reality star and the hip hop icon, 43, have been married for six years, after tying the knot in an extravagant televised celebration in Italy in 2014.

Over the years, the fashion-forward couple has supported one another's professional endeavors, put on united fronts at awards shows and red carpet events, and of course, have been generous in giving fans a glimpse at their private lives on social media and on the Kardashian family's hit reality show.

But much like a number of seemingly sturdy celebrity marriages that fell apart in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, Kardashian and West's marital troubles loomed. Social media outbursts from West hinted at a divorce between the pair shortly after the rapper announced his 2020 bid for president. The couple appeared to keep it together, however, with Kardashian jumping at the defense for her husband more than once.

Here's a look back at the couple's ups and downs over the last year and what may have contributed to their reported "imminent" divorce.

KIM KARDASHIAN HASN'T OFFICIALLY FILED FOR DIVORCE FROM KANYE WEST BECAUSE OF THEIR KIDS: REPORT

Kim Kardashian has yet to officially file divorce papers because she wants to "make the right decision" for their four children, a source claims.
(Pierre Suu/GC Images)

Kim Kardashian, Kanye West give a peek at their Calabasas compound

As 2021 neared, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were reportedly leading "separate lives" and had been spending "a lot of time apart." But back in March 2020, the pair appeared in sync, sharing details about their home life and giving a rare glimpse at their famously minimalist Los Angeles mansion for the cover of Architectural Digest.

The rapper and his reality-star wife told the magazine that they let their kids run loose within their sprawling home, which features bare-bones furnishings and a beige and white aesthetic. West said it was designed with their family of six in mind.

"The kids ride their scooters down the hallways and jump around on top of the low Axel tables, which they use as a kind of stage," West told the magazine. "This house may be a case study, but our vision for it was built around our family."

"In the end, we don’t take it too seriously. We’re not going to be fanatics," Kardashian agreed.

Kim defends Kanye amid Taylor Swift audio leak

Also in March, Kardashian voiced support for her husband when the full audio of the rapper's infamous four-year-old phone call with Taylor Swift about his controversial song "Famous" leaked.

Swift used the opportunity to plug her donations to the World Health Organization and Feeding America in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and encouraged her fans to do the same. She also took aim at the Hollywood couple over the years-long feud.

"Instead of answering those who are asking how I feel about the video footage that leaked, proving that I was telling the truth the whole time about *that call* (you know, the one that was illegally recorded, that somebody edited and manipulated in order to frame me and put me, my family, and fans through hell for 4 years)…SWIPE UP to see what really matters," Swift wrote on her Instagram Story Monday in reference to the leaked video.

Kardashian fired back, defending herself and West in a series of tweets.

KIM KARDASHIAN, KANYE WEST DIVORCE ‘IMMINENT’: REPORT

Kanye West hinted at an impending divorce from Kim Kardashian in the summer of 2020. In a since-deleted tweet, the former presidential hopeful claimed he’d been "trying" to divorce the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star since 2018.
(Karwai Tang/Getty Images)

".@taylorswift13 has chosen to reignite an old exchange – that at this point in time feels very self-serving given the suffering millions of real victims are facing right now," Kim began her statement. 

"To add, Kanye as an artist has every right to document his musical journey and process, just like she recently did through her documentary," Kardashian wrote. "Kanye has documented the making of all of his albums for his personal archive, however has never released any of it for public consumption & the call between the two of them would have remained private or would have gone in the trash had she not lied & forced me to defend him."

Kanye announces his 2020 presidential run

West took center stage on Indepence Day last year when he shocked many with the formal announcement of his decision to run for president of the United States in the 2020 election on Twitter.

"We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future," he wrote. "I am running for president of the United States! #2020VISION."

At the time, the mother of four showed her support for West by sharing his tweet on her own Twitter profile with an American flag. Additionally, a source told Us Weekly at the time, "Kim has known about his aspirations and has been supportive."

Kardashian 'furious' at West over remarks about abortion

During his first campaign rally in South Carolina in July, West brought up the possibility of divorcing his wife while claiming they considered aborting their first child, North, 7.

SOCIAL MEDIA REACTS TO KIM KARDASHIAN, KANYE WEST SPLIT REPORTS: 'REALLY THOUGHT THEY WERE GOALS'

"She was crying… and for one month and two months and three months, we talked about her not having this child. She had the pills in her hand," West continued (via People magazine).

A report surfaced in December claiming the reality star and her rapper husband were leading "separate lives."
(Karwai Tang/Getty Images)

"Even if my wife wants to divorce me after this speech she brought North into the world even when I didn't want to. She stood up and she protected that child. You know who else protected a child? 43 years ago, who do you think protected a child?" West said at the rally as he began to sob uncontrollably.

A source told the magazine that Kardashian was "furious that he shared something so private." Kardashian later implied it was an episode brought on by his bipolar disorder.

Kanye's Twitter rant about divorcing Kim goes viral

West's fans began to fear for his mental health in late July as he went on a lengthy Twitter rant in which he touched on his marriage to Kim Kardashian, his fears of getting "locked up" and teased an upcoming album named after his late mother.

In one tweet, West wrote, "Kim was trying to fly to Wyoming with a doctor to lock me up like on the movie Get Out because I cried about saving my daughters life yesterday."

In a since-deleted tweet, the "Power" rapper also claimed that he’d been "trying" to divorce Kardashian ever since she attended a prison reform event with Meek Mill in 2018.

In the same rant, he also shaded Kardashian’s past Playboy spread and claimed that the reality star’s mother, Kris Jenner, was no longer allowed to see his children.

Days later, West issued a public apology to Kardashian. "I would like to apologize to my wife Kim for going public with something that was a private matter. I did not cover her like she has covered me.to [sic] Kim I want to say I know I hurt you. Please forgive me. Thank you for always being there for me."

Kim breaks silence on Kanye's bipolar disorder 

In response to West's social media outburst, Kardashian spoke up about the Yeezy founder's bipolar disorder for the first time, asking for compassion from the public.

"As many of you know, Kanye has bi-polar disorder. Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand," Kardashian's statement shared to Instagram began.

KIM KARDASHIAN REPORTEDLY 'FURIOUS' AT KANYE WEST: A LOOK BACK AT THEIR RELATIONSHIP

Kim Kardashian was reportedly left ‘furious’ over her husband’s public meltdowns last year.
(Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for UCLA)

Kardashian added she realized that her husband’s words can carry particular weight and "cause strong opinions and emotions" due to his status as a public figure. However, she said she finds him to be a "brilliant and complicated" person that is simply struggling to deal with his mental illness at times.

"He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressure of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder," she wrote. "Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words some times do not align with his intentions."

Tensions rise in Wyoming

The pair reunited in late July at a local fast-food joint in Cody, Wyo.

Hours after Kardashian's arrival broke, photos of the couple show the two appearing to be in an emotional argument while sitting in their car.

In the pics, Kardashian can be seen crying while she and West are talking to each other. At the time, a source claimed to People that the pair had been discussing divorce "for several weeks." 

KIM KARDASHIAN AND KANYE WEST LEADING 'SEPARATE LIVES' IN MARRIAGE: REPORT

A second insider claimed that both the KKW Beauty founder and the rapper felt "the marriage is over."

Family vacations, Kanye squashes beef with Kris

In August, social media footage showed evidence that the couple jet-setted to an undisclosed tropical location enjoying some R&R with their kids. West appeared to provide evidence of the family's reunion with a video of himself and daughter, North, 7, busting some moves. Kardashian was noticeably heard laughing in the background.

Meanwhile, West took to Twitter to make it known he had smoothed things over with Kris Jenner.

"My mother in law Kris Jenner … makes the best music playlist," West, 43, tweeted on Tuesday.

KIM KARDASHIAN AND KANYE WEST HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING DIVORCE FOR WEEKS: REPORTS

The appreciative comments about Jenner followed reports he referred to the famed mom-ager as "Kris Jong-Un," called her boyfriend Corey Gamble "Calmye," said the matriarch is involved in "white supremacy" because she didn’t reply to his texts, and informed her that she couldn't see his kids.

Kim recalls assisting Kanye amid coronavirus fight

In October, more information about the Kardashian-West household came to light. In an interview with Grazia magazine, the prison reform advocate revealed she helped care for West as he fought the novel virus in early 2020 while also caring for their four kids.

"Kanye had it way at the beginning, when nobody really knew what was going on," recalled Kardashian. "It was so scary and unknown. I had my four babies and no one else in the house to help."

The star said she'd change her husband's sheets and "help him get out of bed when he wasn't feeling good" as he fought the infection.

KIM KARDASHIAN LAUGHS WITH KANYE WEST IN FAMILY VIDEO FOLLOWING REPORTS OF MARITAL STRUGGLES

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West began dating in 2012 before her divorce to Kris Humphries was finalized.
(Denise Truscello/WireImage)

"It was a challenge because it was so unknown," she confessed. "Changing his sheets with gloves and a face shield was really a scary time."

Kanye gifts Kardashian a birthday gift of a lifetime

In October, the KKW Beauty founder said she received "the most thoughtful gift of a lifetime" from West for her 40th birthday: a hologram of her late father, Robert Kardashian. 

She recalled on Twitter: "For my birthday, Kanye got me the most thoughtful gift of a lifetime. A special surprise from heaven. A hologram of my dad."

The KKW Beauty mogul also shared a two-minute clip of the hologram. "I am so proud of the woman that you've become, Kimberly, and all that you have accomplished," the hologram of the late attorney said in part.

West reportedly also helped Kardashian celebrate her 40th by attending her birthday extravaganza in the tropics with friends. However, on Tuesday, an insider claimed to Page Six that West attended for only one day.

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"He showed up late and left early, he wouldn’t appear in any of their Instagram shots. All he did was bring over the hologram of her father Robert Kardashian, then got out of there as fast as he could," the source explained to Page Six. 

Kim, Kanye leading 'separate lives'

As 2020 came to a close, rumors ramped up that the Hollywood couple was on the brink of a split. 

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West married in 2014.
(Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)

A source told People magazine that the two "very much live separate lives." 

The insider said Kardashian, who is studying to become a lawyer, has been delving into her work and "projects that are important to her." The source said West is doing the same.

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Kardashian and West began dating in 2012 while the Skims creator was still legally married to Kris Humphries. They became engaged just months after her divorce was finalized.

They married in May 2014. They share four children: North, 7, Saint, 5, Chicago, 2, and Psalm, 1. The marriage is West’s first and Kardashian’s third. She was previously married to Damon Thomas from 2000 to 2004 and to basketball pro Humphries from 2011 to 2013, though she filed for divorce after just 72 days of marriage.

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