Kanye meets Trump, discusses 'multicultural issues'

Rap superstar Kanye West on Tuesday delivered a surprise even in this most unusual of politicalyears -- he met President-elect Donald Trump, marking the artist's first appearance since a reportedmental breakdown.

West, a rare artist and even rarer African American celebrity to voice support for Trump, said hewent to discuss issues of concern to minorities with the populist leader.

Trailed by an entourage including his own cameraman, West silently walked into Trump Tower andreturned to the lobby 40 minutes later with the president-elect himself who, asked what the twodiscussed, said: "Life."

"Just friends, just friends. He's a good man. Long time. Friends for a long time," said a visiblyupbeat Trump, who wrapped an arm behind West's shoulder.

West, sporting a fitted black sweatshirt and white sneakers, at first stood sullenly with his armsfolded as reporters peppered him with questions -- including on whether he would make good on hisearlier vow to run for president in 2020.
"I`m just here to take a picture right now," West finally said before flashing a smile.

West later took to his and Trump`s favorite medium, Twitter, to elaborate, saying he came to discuss"multicultural issues" and had raised bullying, education and violence in his hometown Chicago.

And, in a wry reply to questions on his own presidential aspirations, tweeted "#2024" -- or after atheoretical Trump second term.

Entertainment site E! News said Trump wanted to make West an"ambassador of sorts" involved in"entrepreneurial leadership."

Quoting an anonymous source on West`s side, E! News said Trump reached out as he believed the rapper-- who earlier this year said he was $53 million in debt -- was "a great role model when it comes tobusiness."

West last month stunned a California audience with a lengthy speech in which he said he did not votebut would have backed Trump as he appreciated the businessman`s outspokenness.

West was soon hospitalized after a series of erratic comments on stage, includingallegingthathissometimecollaborator Jay-Z was sending hitmen to kill him and lashing out at Facebook founder MarkZuckerberg for not paying the rapper`s debt.

The celebrity news website TMZ said that West`s doctor feared he had suffered a mental breakdown andthat West had flown to New York on Monday to see a psychiatrist.

Notably absent at Trump Tower was the rapper`s wife, reality television star Kim Kardashian.She has kept a low profile since gunmen broke into her Paris hotel room and robbed her of $10million worth of jewelry -- and gossip pages have recently speculated on the state of the couple`smarriage.

The New York Post reported that Trump will also meet the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, whois performing Thursday at Madison Square Garden, and appeal to him to sing at the January 20inauguration.

Only a smattering of artists backed Trump, who pulled off an upset through support from whiteworking-class men after a campaign in which the tycoon excoriated Mexicans, Muslims and otherminorities.

West previously campaigned for President Barack Obama and accused president George WBush of notcaring about African Americans after the patchy response to Hurricane Katrina.

The 39-year-old was also among the first in hip-hop to speak forcefully against homophobia.

But West has drawn growing comparisons to Trump, with the rapper delighting in self-aggrandizingsocial media postings and criticism of establishment rules.

West has likened himself to Michelangelo and has alleged that the Grammys are rigged, threatening toboycott the music industry awards if he is not nominated for Album of the Year. He was not --although he is up in eight other categories.

(AFP)