7 times Kanye West and presidential politics collided

Trump, Kanye meet 01:16

Kanye West thrust himself into presidential politics Tuesday morning when he paid a visit to president-elect Donald Trump's home at Trump Tower in New York.

When asked what they had discussed, Mr. Trump replied: "Life. We discussed life."

When reporters began directing questions at West, he said: "I'm just here to take a picture right now," giving them a thumbs-up.

But this visit wasn't the first time West had found himself sharing headlines with the executive branch.

Kanye would've voted for Trump

Kanye backs Trump 00:51

Perhaps Tuesday's meeting came because of the goodwill West showed Trump during one of his pre-hospitalization concerts, during which he said, "If I would have voted, I would have voted on Trump," West said.

"I would've voted for Trump" - @kanyewest pic.twitter.com/XtyUteCgUZ
— albertoreyes (@albertoreyes) November 18, 2016

Kanye announces presidential bid

Vanguard Award winner Kanye West speaks onstage during the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

At the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, while accepting his Video Vanguard Award, West let it be known that he was contemplating a presidential bid for 2020.

"I have decided in 2020 to run for president," he told the crowd.

He later clarified his position, in case anyone thought he was joking. "I hate politics," he said in an interview. "I'm not a politician at all. I care about the truth and I just care about human beings. I just want everyone to win, that's all I can say, and I think we can."

Kanye gets some advice from Obama

The president spoke at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in San Francisco, where the hip hop artist will later perform. Mr. Obama has a few political nuggets to pass on for West's 2020 bid for the presidency. 01:37

Barack Obama got wind of West's plans for a White House run and offered him some advice, even if it was mostly tongue-in-cheek.

"Do you really think that this country is going to elect a black guy from the South Side of Chicago with a funny name to be president of the United States?" Obama joked. "That is crazy. That's cray!"

Maybe Obama's lack of respect is what drove West to Trump.

Kanye says Obama calls him at home

President Barack Obama speaks during the 2016 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival at Long Center on March 11, 2016 in Austin, Texas. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Earlier in 2015, West had boasted about his relationship with President Obama, including getting calls from the president at his home.

When pressed on the claims, Obama had to refute them.

"I've met Kanye twice, the first time when I was a senator," Obama said. "I don't think I've got his home number."

West reacts to Obama's slam against him

Kanye West takes the microphone from singer Taylor Swift as she accepts the "Best Female Video" award during the MTV Video Music Awards in New York on Sept. 13, 2009. Christopher Polk/Getty Images

But West's beef with Obama went back even further. In 2009, after West's infamous stage-crashing during Taylor Swift's VMAs acceptance speech, Obama had weighed in, calling West "a jackass."

That clearly stung, as four years later in 2013, West was still commenting on it.

"I don't care if somebody's the President or not. I care about thoughts and how you helpin' people and what you bring to the world. My music brings joy to people. What I create brings joy to people. And I'm about people," he said in an interview. "I'm not gonna mention him no more. I'm past that, that's out of my thoughts."

Kanye calls out George W. Bush

Hip-hop artist Kanye West performs at Z100's Jingle Ball 2005 at Madison Square Garden on December 16, 2005 in New York City. GETTY IMAGES/Brad Barket

But West's most infamous run-in with a president is still his telethon appearance following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, during which he went off-script to utter the infamous line, "George Bush doesn't care about black people."