How Kim Kardashian West is coping with Kanye West's chaos

Kanye West is at the centre of a media storm – and Kim Kardashian West is standing by his side.

"It sounds like [she's still supporting Kanye] from everything I've heard," a source close to the reality star, 35, tells WHO.

Kardashian's strong foundation with West, 38, is what keeps them together, says another source: "They're incredibly supportive of one another, not only publicly, but privately as well. Kim has a unique understanding of him, probably in a deeper way than anybody else in the world. She's understanding of the way that he operates."

In the 20 months since their extravagant wedding in Italy, the couple have expanded their family, giving daughter North, 2, a baby brother, Saint, 2 months. "Kim and Kanye are so happy!" a source told WHO in December, but the weeks since have revealed cracks.

While an insider said West is still "excited about his family," his energies have shifted to new projects, including his album The Life of Pablo and Yeezy Season 3 clothing line launch. In the process of promoting the ventures, he's garnered an endless string of headlines with his Saturday Night Live tantrum, $53 million debt claims, renewed feud with Taylor Swift and Twitter scuffles.

"What causes friction in the marriage, however, is Kanye's compulsive tweeting," a source says in the latest issue of WHO, on newsstands Friday. "Kim can't stand it. She is all for self-promotion, but doesn't approve of Twitter drama."

Still, the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star "will do whatever to make this work," says a source.

And amid the ups and downs, Kardashian accepts that she committed to an artist with a complicated public persona. Adds a source: "I don't know what they talk about on private about this stuff, but contradiction is very often Kanye's calling card."

Words by Nick Maslow With Maria Mercedes Lara And Janine Rayford Rubenstein.