Everything Kanye West Has Been Up to in 2018 Ahead of This Week's Tweet Storm

After lying low on social media for months, Kanye West has returned to Twitter and caused quite a stir online.

The rapper, 40, has generally stayed out of the spotlight as of late but has had a busy year nonetheless, between working on new music and expanding his family with wife Kim Kardashian, 37. (Already parents to daughter North, 4, and son Saint, 2, the pair welcomed daughter Chicago in January.)

Below, a look at what the rapper has been up to in recent months.

January

West rang in 2018 with family and friends, sharing a sweet smooch with Kardashian as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Shortly after NYE, Yeezy got back to work, as he was photographed at his Calabasas, California, recording studio January 4 – 7.

On Jan. 8, the rapper popped up in Washington, D.C., where he was spotted touring the National Museum of African American History and Culture with his dad Ray and daughter North.

Upon his Jan. 10 return to L.A., West got back in the recording studio. Then on the 12th, he and and Kardashian enjoyed a date night at West Hollywood hotspot Craig’s, where they celebrated a pal’s birthday.

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West and Kardashian’s surrogate went into labor then delivered their daughter Chicago early on Jan. 15, as the couple announced later that day.

Just one day after Chicago’s birth, West returned to the Calabasas studio and was photographed there Jan. 16 – 20, enjoyed a movie night with Kardashian the 20th, then was spotted at the studio again the 22 and 23.

On Jan. 24, he was spotted out and about in New York City before he crossed the pond for a Euro trip to spend time in Berlin, Belgium and Paris. The rapper was spotted enjoying a group dinner with A$AP Rocky and Dave Chappelle in Berlin, as well as visiting Axel Vervoordt’s gallery in Belgium and attended private party at Soho House Berlin with Rocky and designer Virgil Abloh.

At the time a source told PEOPLE: “Kanye is working and being creative. He feels that he needs to do his thing right now. It doesn’t seem like a big deal to Kim that he is in Europe. Kim has her family help with the kids.”

February

On Feb. 1, West returned to Berlin for Chappelle’s comedy show, eventually flew to Paris, then was spotted out and about at Nobu in Malibu with a friend on Feb. 3.

Upon his return from Europe, West spent more time in the recording studio. Then on Feb. 11, he stepped out at The Lot Studios in West Hollywood with Kardashian and mother-in-law Kris Jenner for pal Ellen DeGeneres’ star-studded birthday party.

On Feb. 14, the rapper was spotted in his studio once again — then broken his initial social media hiatus to wish Kardashian a happy Valentine’s Day via 50 Instagram posts over the course of nine hours. And that night, West and his wife joined her family — including sisters Kourtney and Khloé and brother Rob — for a Valentine’s dinner at mom Kris’s house.

West made a surprise appearance at the Adidas Creates 747 Warehouse St. event in L.A. on Feb. 17. And then Feb. 22, he and sister-in-law Kourtney caught a screening of Black Panther in Calabasas.

March

While Kardashian and her sisters jetted off for a Japanese girls trip, West balanced socializing with parenting — he shared childcare duties with Kris while his wife was gone — and was all smiles when he stepped out for an event at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills March 2.

The rapper kept a low profile for much of March and wasn’t spotted out and about much until the 20th, when he and Kardashian stepped out for a preview of his upcoming Yeezy Season 7 collection; and the same day, he and his dad Ray grabbed a bite at Nobu in Malibu.

On March 24, West, Kardashian and their daughter North attended the Washington, D.C. March for Our Lives protest, which was organized by the student survivors of the Parkland, Florida, school massacre.

“I’m so happy I got to share this moment with these two,” Kardashian wrote alongside an image of her husband and her daughter.“I hope North remembers this forever.”

The day after the protest, West was back in L.A. And on March 29, Kardashian shared an adorable collection of family photos from a visit to the San Diego Zoo.

April

On April 1, West met with producer Rick Rubin at his Calabasas studio. Then, he celebrated Easter with the family in Bel Air at sister-in-law Kylie Jenner’s house.

Save for a few visits to the studio, rapper spent much of April out of the spotlight.

Then, on April 15, West returned to Twitter and began what since has seemed like an endless barrage of tweets. The star has weighed in on myriad topics, from coyly addressing the Tristan Thompson cheating scandal and announcing new music and a philosophy book, to revealing he fired his lawyers and management team and expressing his “love” for his “brother,” President Donald Trump.

West’s controversial tweets have caused buzz online, and a friend of the rapper told PEOPLE Tuesday: “The truth is that people are right to be worried. He’s not acting well, and he seems to be on the edge. I hope and pray he can get it together.”

On Wednesday, Kardashian spoke out online to defend her husband from people whom she said want to “demonize” him.

“He’s a free thinker, is that not allowed in America?” she wrote. “Because some of his ideas differ from yours you have to throw in the mental health card? That’s just not fair. He’s actually out of the sunken place when he’s being himself which is very expressive.”