Kanye West announces he's running for President of the United States

Kanye West may be known as an artist and fashion designer but it seems he wants to add politician to his belt, as he has announced he’s running for President of the United States in 2020.

The 43-year-old rapper took his Twitter account as Fourth of July celebrations were underway in the United States to make the shocking revelation.

“We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States #2020VISION,” he wrote, alongside an emoji of the American Flag.

Elon Musk, the chief executive of electric-car maker Tesla and another celebrity known for eccentric outbursts, immediately threw his support behind the Stronger rapper, saying: “You have my full support”.

It comes three days after Kanye uploaded a photo from Elon’s mansion, showing them both wearing orange tops.

Kanye’s wife, Keeping Up With The Kardashians star Kim Kardashian simply commented on Kanye’s tweet with an American Flag emoji.

It was not immediately clear if West was serious about vying for the presidency four months before the November 3 election or if he had filed any official paperwork to appear on state election ballots.

The deadline to add independent candidates to the ballot has not yet passed in many states.

If he’s serious about his bid, Kanye, a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump, will now challenge Trump and his presumptive Democratic rival Joe Biden.

While the announcement may come as a shock to some, Kanye has been very open about his intention to run for president in the past, however, many thought it would be in 2024.

In 2015, Kanye stunned when he announced at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles that he was eyeing up the most powerful role in the country.

"I have decided in 2020 to run for president," he said at the end of his speech.

Last November, at Fast Company's Innovation Festival, Kanye told a crowd: "When I run for President in 2024", before he was interrupted by sniggering in the audience.

"What y'all laughing at? We would create so many jobs! I'm not going to run, I'm going to walk. When you see headlines saying Kanye's crazy — one in three African Americans are in jail and all the celebrities are in jail also because they can't say nothing, they got no opinion, they're so scared!"

Kanye and his equally famous wife Kim Kardashian West have visited Trump in the White House.

At one meeting in October 2018, West delivered a rambling, profanity-laden speech in which he discussed alternative universes and his diagnosis of bipolar disorder, which he said was actually sleep deprivation.

Later that month, Kanye tweeted saying he was turning his back on politics and instead focusing on ‘being creative’.

“My eyes are now wide open and now realize I’ve been used to spread messages I don’t believe in. I am distancing myself from politics and completely focusing on being creative,” he wrote on Twitter.

With extra reporting by AAP.

Sign up to our daily newsletter here to get all the latest news and hacks. Or get in touch at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com.