Kanye West might be running for president in 2020, but in 2016, he says he would have voted for Donald Trump.
During the San Jose, Calif. stop on his “Saint Pablo World Tour,” Yeezy confirmed that he did not vote, but that he was in favor of the president-elect this whole time.
“If I would’ve voted, I would have voted for Trump,” he explained. “I wanted to say that before the election, but they told me to not say that out loud…That don’t mean that I don’t think that Black Lives Matter, that don’t mean I don’t believe in women’s rights, that don’t mean that I don’t believe in gay marriage.”
He went on: “I don’t think his approach was just entertaining, because that trivializes it,” he added. “I actually think that his approach was absolutely genius. Because it fucking worked.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA0PURaILF0
It didn’t end there. ‘Ye went on a lengthy speech about politics, voting, and Trump throughout the duration of the show, resulting in scattered cheers and boos from a mixed crowd. “Who gives a fuck?” one fan yelled in a video posted online. “Play fucking music!”
None of the negative reactions seemed to cause Yeezus to pause. Instead, he launched into part of his 2020 campaign. “I’m concerned, not about the idea of being president or the actual job of it,” he said. “I’m concerned about putting out a concept of how to do the job in a new way. If no one will do it in that way, I will take position in 2020 and do it myself.”
Much like it did during the presidential election, race also came up during West’s speech. “If people are racists and they feel more inspired to say how they feel, then they exposing themselves,” he said. “It’s already the beginning of change. Sometimes, things you might think are bad have to happen in order for change to fucking happen. Sometimes, you might have to not get your way to understand what to do in the future to be able to get your way.”
Prior to showing his love for Trump, whose approach he called “genius,” West endorsed Republican candidate Ben Carson, calling him “the most brilliant guy.”
Last year, West announced that he would be running for president in 2020. “When I talk about the idea of being president, I’m not saying I have any political views,” he explained. “I don’t have views on politics. I just have a view on humanity, on people, on the truth. If there’s anything that I can do with my time and my day, to somehow make a difference while I’m alive I’m going to try to do it.”