Kanye West has been given advice about running for president of the US by none other than Barack Obama.
The 54-year-old politician joked about West’s well-publicised ambition to run for office in 2020, suggesting that his marriage to reality TV Kim Kardashian might help him in his possible future career.
Speaking at San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre ahead of West’s performance at a fundraiser, Obama said:
"In a little while you are going to hear from a guy who is thinking about getting into politics.
"In case Kanye’s serious about this whole POTUS thing, or as he calls it, Peezy, I do have advice for him. You’ve got to deal with strange characters who behave as if they are on a reality TV show. So you’ve got to be cool with that."
In reference to West’s 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he added: “This is the second tip. Saying that you have a beautiful, dark, twisted fantasy...That’s what’s known as ‘off message’ in politics. You can’t have something like that.”
Obama even laughed at himself while debating West’s chances of being voted in as president, saying:
“Do you really think this country is going to elect a black guy from the south side of Chicago with a funny name to be President of the US? That’s crazy!”