Mercurial rapper Kanye West used the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles to announce a run for the White House in 2020 after winning a career achievement award.
Cheered by his biggest fan, pregnant wife and reality star Kim Kardashian in a lace-up olive dress that left little to the imagination, he was greeted by an extended standing ovation.
“I have decided in 2020 to run for president,” he bellowed into the microphone at the end of a rambling address in which he also appeared to confess to smoking marijuana before taking the stage.
“I will die for the art, for what I believe in and I ain’t always gonna be polite,” he said. The hip hop star joked that people would think he smoked “something” before stepping out for the evening. (Also Read – MTV VMAs: Taylor Swift Dominates With 4 Wins)
“The answer is yes. I rolled up a little something. I got the answer,” he said. “We’re the millenials bro.
“This is a new mentality, we’re not going to control our kids with brands. We’re not going to teach low self-esteem and hate to our kids. We’re gonna teach our kids that they can be something,” he said.
MTV’s Video Vanguard lifetime achievement award has previously been given to artists including Madonna, Michael Jackson and Beyonce.
The 38-year-old boundary-pushing rapper also won best Video With a Social Message for “One Man Can Change the World” with Big Sean and John Legend.
Otherwise the night saw pop superstar Taylor Swift take an early lead, winning two of her whopping 10 nominations and burying the hatchet with rapper Nicki Minaj.
