Kanye West's Ex Speaks Out About Split

Kanye West and his designer fiancée Alexis Phifer have broken off their engagement after of a year and a half.

“It’s always sad when things like this end, and we remain friends,” Alexis tells People. “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.”

“They’d been having problems,” a pal of West‘s says. “Kanye is really focused on his show; he’s putting everything into the show right now. Alexis is a nice girl, but Kanye has been going through a rough time. They hit a rough patch and for now they’ve split.”

She also tells Us Weekly: “It’s been hard and not been an easy time. I tried to keep things private but yes, it’s sad.”

A source close to the couple added, “He broke up with her. Alexis still doesn’t really know what happened. It’s like she lost her best friend too. Things may change one day. He embraced her son and supported her business and her with all his heart. It’s just a rough time right now.”