When it comes to Kanye West's former flames, Brooke Crittendon may not be one of recent memory but the ex-MTV production assistant claimed she was there from the very start.

The two met in 2004 when West was the opening act for Usher at a show in New York. The TV worker scored backstage tickets to meet Usher but eventually ended up chatting with West, 35, the whole night.

Although Kim Kardashian, 32, and West appear to be madly in love and are expecting a baby this year, Crittendon, 31, believes the relationship won’t last. In an interview with The Sun UK, she said West’s relationship with Kardashian is simply good for his brand.

“There’s Halle Berry, J-Lo and Beyonce but they are all taken. She fits into his brand. Part of being untouchable is having what other people want. It’s about saying, ‘Everybody wants her and she wants me’. That makes sense in Kanye’s world," Crittendon said. "I know he has had a thing with her for a while. I’m sure he watched her tape. After we broke up, we caught up as friends and he mentioned her, I knew something was there."

She added that in Hollywood it is hard to say a relationship will last "forever," and West and Kardashian being together "satisfies them for now." "Having a baby ticks a box. She wanted kids and it’s his legacy.”

Crittendon said that despite his big ego, West showed signs of insecurity throughout the span of their two-year relationship.

“He was not macho — he needed you to be with him and needed your opinion. He was quite vulnerable," she said. "He was insecure as he couldn’t be with me every day. I got the impression he worried he wasn’t good enough for me.

"He needs people to tell him he is good and that he is needed and wanted. He wouldn’t start his show unless I was at the side of the stage. One night the show was delayed because he couldn’t find me. He refused to go on till I’d told him it was going to be OK."

Crittendon credited the rapper’s mentor Jay-Z for inspiring him to settle down, saying "he admires Jay-Z and they are very close."

"Over the years Jay has been a role model to him. Whether it is starting to be more mature, taking chances with clothes or getting married and starting a family, ultimately he takes those cues from Jay.”

Tags: Kanye West Kim Kardashian