Kanye West is never one to hold his tongue.
However, unlike most of his Hollywood contemporaries, the rapper was noticeably mute in voicing his views on the recent US election. A move which surprised many given his publicly declared desires to run for office in 2020.
True to form, it was only a matter of time before Yeezy sounded off.
And he used the launch of the second leg of his ‘Saint Pablo Tour’ in California to share his view that Donald Trump is a “genius.”
During one of many rants at the show, he added that while he didn’t vote, he would have voted for the US’ president elect.
Read a blow by blow account from a fan in attendance below…
Live Tweeted by @RaptorJesuss:
Kanye is now 40 minutes late.
Kanye has entered.
Kanye has been talking to the audience for the last 10 minutes telling us all to believe in ourselves and share ideas and to integrate.
Times Kanye has stopped the show to give speeches tonight: 5 times.
Another show stopped. Kanye is asking who voted for Hillary, mixed cheers and boos. Kanye is calling out Trump supporters.
“There are Hillary supporters that may be louder, but MY fact is that there are people who who voted for Trump here at the show”
“I’m not asking ya’ll on your opinions on who’s better, but there are people who voted for either side that come together for music”
“The dumbest thing about politics is that politics separate, not one side or the other side is bad, it’s not Democratic or Republican”
“Echoing is what made people think Hillary was going to win, you thought because what the Internet was telling you, that she was gonna win”
“Don’t believe what you see when you see it on the internet, it might have been tampered with.”
“Rappers are philosophers of our now, celebrities are the influencers of our now, just look at the president, he wasn’t in politics & won”
Kanye is talking about how Trump is the president of the free world, and that everyone needs to ask more questions & not to trust the net
Kanye just said he thinks he’ll have the experience in 2020 to run for office, I’m dead serious, Kanye just said he’s preparing for 2020.
Kanye says he wants to change the education system and that we’re one world.
Kanye now talking about how he wants people with principle and wants someone to bring light problems w/ education, housing & other elements.
Kanye telling people to stop clapping, that it’s rude when he’s talking.
“Some people might have come here to slam and turn up, but if you clap when I’m in the middle of idea it’s distracting”
“This is my platform and I’m going to talk about the paradigm shift that’s happening right now.”
Kanye pointing out how people boo’d when asked “Do you think people who supported Trump enjoy a Kanye show”, 2nd time, people replied “Yes”
Kanye just asked the crowd “What percent of people here voted for Trump.” crowd booing, people are pissed he’s not playing music.
Kanye says he’s welcoming Trump supporters and he says everyone has the right for whoever they want to vote for.
Kanye admitted he didn’t vote in 2016, but says he is concerned with how to become a different type of president in 2020 if nobody else does
Kanye now playing Power. After a 40 minute political rant.
Kanye West just stopped the show again to tell us that Kanye liked Trumps campaign. Someone threw something at Kanye but he isn’t mad.
Kanye happy a woman just screamed she loved him even though Kanye said he liked Trumps campaign. Kanye is supportive of Trumps Anti-PC.
Kanye is now saying how he loved Trumps debate style. Kanye is glad Trump inspired racists to reveal themselves. “This is the beginning”
“Sometimes you might not get your way in order to learn in the future how to get your way. You might understand what I’m saying but…”
Someone threw something at Kanye that hit him, he’s now threatening to cancel the show. “Am I not allowed to have an opinion?”
“Im a human being too, I have feelings, I liked the debates, Im a guy & a rapper, I’m a non political rebel, the debates were entertaining”
Kanye now playing Blood on the Leaves. There have been 13 stops, about 1 hour of ranting so far.
Kanye just stopped the show again “Whether you voted for Hillary and Trump, this is a safe space for both of you”
Kanye just started a song and is now mad that people are dancing……..
Kanye just stopped Jesus Walks, talking about how Trump is a genius.
“Next song”, now at Flashing Lights, he’s cut more than half of his songs with rants.
Kanye’s gotten through 5 songs in a row, he just stopped again, Kanye says “I wanted to vote for Trump”, says he respects Hillary supporters.
Kanye says [manager] Scooter Braun told him not to come out as a Trump supporter before election night.
Kanye said as a black man and as a celebrity he felt persecuted for supporting Trump, feels vindicated.
Kanye then says “Neither candidate would fix racism in this country” Walks off stage, end of concert. WOW.
Hot mess. Not because of the content of his views. Those are his right to have. But more so the manner in which he chose to share them.
Folk paid to see a tour for an underperforming album and received an incoherent rant that had nothing to do with…anything.
Again, a mess.