The 43-year old 'Famous' American rapper Kanye West on July 4 (US Independence Day) declared that he would run for US President in the 2020 US election.
In his tweet, West said, "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."
West's declaration also met with support from maverick tech billionaire Elon Musk.
The announcement, however, was met with surprise as well as skepticism over its viability as well as seriousness, with analysts dismissing it as a publicity stunt or a vote-splitting attempt aimed at hurting presumed Democratic candidate Joe Biden's prospects.
West missed deadlines in six states and faces close deadlines in another seven, which together account for 34 percent of the Electoral College's votes.
Besides, it is the musician's political beliefs and past utterances that suggest he may be a non-serious candidates.
West is a vocal Donald Trump supporter and the rapper made headlines when he and his wife Kim Kardashian were invited for a visit at the White House in 2018. There, he spoke for 10 minutes about alternative universes and was noted for his misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder.
Three weeks later, the musician said that he was distancing himself from politics and that he believed he had been used to spread messages he did not believe.
He also received a fair amount of criticism over his comments on slavery in 2018, where he said that it was a choice, and called for the abolition of Article 13.
Claiming to be a Republican supporter now, in 2005, West stood against then-Republican President George Bush saying that he did not care about black lives. After several years, he said that his comment on Bush came from a "victimised mentality".
This is not the first time that Kanye West has declared to run for President. It has happened before.
At 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, he announced, "I have decided in 2020 to run for president."
That wasn't the end of it. Last year, West announced his desire again but shifted the year from 2020 to 2024. At Fast Company's Innovation Festival 2019, he said he would run in 2024 and was considering using the name Christian Genius Billionaire Kanye West.
"When I run for president in 2024 we would have created so many jobs I'm not going to run, I'm going to walk," said West.
Serious or not, West is just another candidate who joins the long list of non-political players who declare their intention to run for the Presidency every election cycle.
