When most people do something ludicrous like announce running for presidency at an awards show, you assume it’s just a bit of bravado, it’ll quiet down soon.
Unsurprisingly, this wasn’t the case for Kanye West, who has made it pretty clear that he has no intention of backing down from his promise (a good sign for a future presidential candidate, if we’re being honest.) Since announcing his plans at the VMAs, West has gone on to further reiterate his intentions in numerous interviews. The White House have already acknowledged his announcement, but now, President Obama himself has spoken about ‘Ye’s campaign, even offering a few words of wisdom for the potential POTUS – or “Peezy”, as he’ll be called.
Appearing at a Democratic National Committee fundraising even in San Francisco (at which Kanye was a guest performer), the President had a few words for West.
“It couldn’t get any stranger. But in case Kanye is serious about this whole POTUS thing –- or as he calls it, ‘peezy’ –- I do have some advice for him.”
“First of all, you have to spend some time dealing with some strange characters who act like they’re on a reality TV show. You gotta be cool with that,” Obama said, slyly referencing his wife’s show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
“Second important tip: Saying you have a Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy — that’s what’s known as off-message in politics,” he went on. “People have lost congressional seats that way.
“And number three: Do you really think this country’s going to elect a black guy from the South Side of Chicago with a funny name to be president of the U.S.? That’s crazy. Cray,” he capped off, joking about how both he and West hail from the south side of Chicago.
Tickets to the event ranged from $250 – $10 000 per person. There were around 1300 attendees.
Just to be clear, President Obama didn’t endorse Kanye. As the ABC point, out, he’s not exactly bitten his tongue in the past while criticising the entrepreneurial rapper. He actually called him a “jackass”, not once but twice – first in 2009, following the Taylor Swift acceptance speech debacle, and again in a 2012 interview.
Kanye then played a huge 18-song set. Whether the POTUS stayed for the entire thing or not is unknown.
Setlist:
Say You Will
Power
Amazing
Love Lockdown
Runaway
Coldest Winter
Only One
Through the Wire
All Falls Down
Touch the Sky
Gold Digger
Stronger
Can’t Tell Me Nothing
Mercy
Don’t Like
All Day
Black Skinhead
Goodlife