Kanye West On 'The Joe Rogan Experience' [Video]

After years of teasing an episode together, Kanye West finally sat down for a nearly 3 hour interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience.

Source: Karwai Tang / Getty

The Chicago native obviously has a lot to talk about right now, in the midst of his questionable run for president, but throughout the interview Ye and Rogan cover a lot more ground regarding his turn to overt religiousness, his contract struggles within the music industry, how he ended up being medicated after his appearance on TMZ, and so much more.

Following his infamous interview with TMZ from 2018, where he said slavery is a “choice,” the rapper said he was labeled bipolar and put on medication.

“They told me I was bipolar,” he said around 56:45. “I remember going on TMZ and saying, ‘Slavery is a choice,’ and they medicated me for saying that. For having that opinion and saying it out loud. As I put those contracts up, I’m saying, ‘This is a choice.’”

Kanye also revealed that the reason he registered for his presidential bid so late was because of COVID-19.

“Why did I register so late to run for president? COVID,” he said around the 1:47:25 mark. “I had the virus and I was sitting in quarantine in my house and my cousin texts me about being prepared to run for president. And I just completely put it off to the side ‘cause I was like shivering and having the shakes and taking hot showers and eating soup. … [Coronavirus] threw everyone off. It threw everybody’s plans off. And then it was just this calling on my heart.”

He also talks about why he thinks he would be the best choice for American voters right now.

“I’m completely confident that I will figure out how to get America out of debt, that I have the ability, once I see everything. I never make the wrong decision when I’m given all the information. That’s my skill set. Anything I go into — producing, rap, homes, clothing, anything — once I’m given the right information, I apply my taste. And I have the best taste on the planet. Could you imagine Quincy Jones as a president? Walt Disney? Steve Jobs? For America to be as warming and inviting as Disney World. There used to be this dream. People still have this dream of coming to America.”

These quotes are just the tip of the iceberg in a 3 hour conversation. Check out the interview in its entirety down below: