Kanye West to visit White House for meeting with Donald Trump
The controversial rapper plans to discuss prison reform, manufacturing and gang violence in a meeting with the US president.
Wednesday 10 October 2018 16:20, UK
Kanye West is following in wife Kim's footsteps after getting an invite to see Donald Trump at the White House.
The rapper is scheduled to have lunch with the president and also meet his son-in-law Jared Kushner on Thursday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed.
They will discuss manufacturing, prison reform, gang violence and how to reduce violence in Chicago, where West grew up.
It comes after West announced a name change last month, saying he now wants to be known as YE - a nickname he has used for many years and the title of his last album.
Mr Trump recently tweeted praise for the musician after he closed a Saturday Night Live show wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat and delivered an unscripted pro-Trump message after the credits rolled.
"If someone inspires me, and I connect with them, I don't have to believe in all their policies," he said.
West, 41, deleted his social media accounts for the third amid a backlash following the show.
His upcoming visit will not be the first time he has met Mr Trump, having been pictured with the then president-elect at Trump Tower in December 2016.
And his West Wing trip comes after wife Kim Kardashian West met Mr Trump there in May.
The reality TV star successfully persuaded the president to grant a pardon for a drug offender, and has met with senior aides regarding criminal justice reform.