Kanye West Thinks Republican Presidential Candidate Ben Carson Is Brilliant

Kanye West's fans have been clamoring for his new album since the very top of 2015: "Only One," the ode to his daughter, mother and grandmother that West co-wrote with Paul McCartney, came out as the hours counted down to New Year's Eve. But the year has been about West's fashion, with two singles and a handful of guest appearances comprising the entirety of his musical output. In a new interview with Vanity Fair, the rapper and producer touches on both creative outlets, but also drops a puzzling endorsement when asked about his announced plans to run for president in 2020. "As soon as I heard Carson speak, I tried for three weeks to get on the phone with him," West said, referring to retired neurosurgeon and Republican candidate for president Ben Carson. "I was like, 'This is the most brilliant guy.'" Carson became famous in the medical field for his work at Johns Hopkins where, in 1987, he became the first surgeon to successfully separate twins who were conjoined at the head. He has taken a significant hit in the polls of late; sitting at 23 percent before the second Republican debate, he's down to 16 percent after his controversial suggestion that Muslims are unfit to be president.

West went on to denounce the "gladiator battle" of the primary season and said he'd "definitely" be running in the next cycle.  He also shed light on his second season of Yeezy fashion--which he clarified is not a collaboration with Adidas--and talked about his creative interest in everyday clothes like those sold by The Gap. As for the prospect of new music, Kanye seemed to be in no rush. "I’m not worried about the years," he said when asked about a timeline for the new record, which he says is still called Swish. "I’m worried about the life and the body of work that I can put out while I’m breathing." West said that "Fade," which is reported to feature Ty Dolla $ign and Post Malone, has been 18 months in the making and "it may be still a year from being complete."