Kanye West to run for US presidency in 2020

(US) Kanye West announced he was running for president in 2020 during the MTV Video Music Awards.

The bold declaration came at the end of an epic acceptance speech for a lifetime achievement award.

Taylor Swift honored the star with a gushing introduction that was a nod to their first encounter, in which the 38-year-old famously rushed the stage when Taylor Swift accepted an award back in 2009, claiming that his friend Beyonce was a more worthy recipient, reports Dailymail.

To wrap up his speech on Sunday, Kanye simply said: 'As you probably could’ve guessed by this moment, I have decided, in 2020, to run for president.'

He had, however, announced earlier in the epic speech that he had smoked a joint before heading up on stage.

‘Y'all might be thinking right now, “I wonder did he smoke something before he came out here?” And the answer is yes, I rolled up a little something, I knocked the edge off,’ he said.

He added: ‘I don't know what's gonna happen tonight what's gonna happen tomorrow bro but all I can say to my artists is just worry about how you feel at the time.’

Kanye’s lengthy monologue jumped swiftly from topic to topic, from Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds and award shows to discussing fresh juice at the market and the future of millennials.

Kanye's announcement that he would run for president comes almost ten years to the day that he attacked President George Bush on national television during a live segment.

On September 2, 2005, Kanye and Mike Meyers appeared at a telethon benefit for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and almost immediately Kanye appeared to go off script.

'I hate the way they portray us in the media,' said Kanye.

'If you see a black family, it says, "They're looting.” You see a white family, it says, "They're looking for food." And you know that it's been five days because most of the people are black.'

Meyers took over soon after that, but when he went to take a breath at one point, Kanye said; 'George Bush doesn’t care about black people.'

He then walked off stage.

President Bush later called the comment 'one of the most disgusting moments' of his presidency, while many others came to agree with what Kanye said, especially when little was done in New Orleans in the weeks, months and even years following Katrina.

In a 2010 interview with Today, West said; "I would tell George Bush in my moment of frustration, I didn't have the grounds to call him a racist. I believe that in a situation of high emotion like that we as human beings don't always choose the right words.'

Kanye came under fire again in 2013 for comments he made about President Obama and Jewish people.

When asked how he felt President Obama was doing in office during a radio interview he said; 'Man, let me tell you something about George Bush and oil money and Obama and no money. People want to say Obama can't make these moves or he's not executing.

'That's because he ain't got those connections. Black people don't have the same level of connections as Jewish people...We ain't Jewish. We don't got family that got money like that.'

That comment was criticized by the Anti-Defamation League, who said; 'There it goes again, the age-old canard that Jews are all-powerful and control the levers of power in government.'

And while he was acknowledged with the Video Vanguard Award at this year's Video Music Awards, his previous antics at the star-studded ceremony certainly loomed large in everyone's minds.

The prize has previously been won by acts including Michael and Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, U2 and George Michael, with it last being presented to Beyonce in 2014.

The All Day rapper is familiar with the award, having given it to his friend and long-time collaborator Hype Williams in 2006 for his achievements as a 'film maker'.

Kanye, father to two-year-old daughter North, has been making music videos since 2003 beginning with his first single, Through The Wire.

Since then he has worked on several iconic music videos including 2004's All Falls Down, 2005's Gold Digger featuring Jamie Foxx, 2007 Daft Punk collaboration Stronger, 2011's All Of The Lights featuring Rihanna and the infamous 2013 Bound 2 video starring his wife Kim Kardashian.

Kanye last performed at the VMAs in 2013 when he played single Blood on the Leaves.

Regardless of how much history Kanye has made at the award show, his best known appearance was when he interrupted Taylor at the event six years ago while she accepted the Best Female Video Award to insist Beyonce should have won the accolade.

Rushing the stage, Kanye took the microphone from the blonde singer and infamously said: 'Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, Imma let you finish but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time…one of the best videos of all time!'

The rapper was then subsequently booed off the stage by the audience in attendance.

Kanye and the 25-year-old singer have since put their differences aside and were even pictured together at the Grammy Awards back in February.