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50 Cent has criticised Kanye West‘s unlikely US presidential campaign, claiming that West’s move into politics is a stunt that aims to “create a diversion [and] distract people”.
Since announcing his candidacy on July 4, West’s campaign has already experienced a number of set-backs, including missing several important state registrations deadlines and polling at just 2% among voters.
50 Cent has now added his name to the growing number of stars who have voiced concern about West entering the race for the White House in November’s presidential election, with the likes of Jamie Foxx, Katy Perry and Will.i.am having already criticised the rapper’s decision to run.
Speaking to Billboard this week, 50 joked that he was “contemplating running [for President] myself” and suggested that West was simply running to “create a diversion, to distract people”.
“I’m going to run to create a diversion for someone else,” he said. “The new thing is to run to create a diversion, to distract people. Would you run against someone who just gave you $2 million?”
The last comment appeared to be in reference to the $2 million that was reportedly received by West’s YEEZY company through Donald Trump‘s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a fund that reportedly saved over 100 jobs.
“Remember the last president called you a jackass?” 50 added of West, referencing when Barack Obama slammed the rapper in 2009 for interrupting Taylor Swift at the VMAs. “Maybe that’s why you embrace this one [Trump].”
Asked if it was encouraging that West had at least abandoned his support for Trump and “given up the MAGA hat”, 50 replied: “How could you keep it in this climate? Without creating a storm of shit for yourself? You have to take the hat off.”
West’s presidential campaign could already be over. A member of his campaign team reportedly told New York Magazine’s Intelligencer that the rapper will no longer contest the election.
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