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Kanye West Abandons 2024 Presidential Bid, Lawyer Confirms
Kanye West has officially withdrawn from the 2024 presidential race.
Bruce Marks, the rapper’s personal attorney, confirmed the decision to Rolling Stone in an article published today (Oct. 20). “He’s not a candidate for office in 2024,” the lawyer stated, essentially closing the door on what has been a tumultuous political journey for West.
The announcement followed a Federal Election Commission filing by West’s 2020 political committee that revealed zero dollars allocated for primary expenditures from January to September 2023. The report also indicated that the campaign had less than $25,000 cash on hand. During his chat with the publication, Marks didn’t comment further on winding down the musician’s political ambitions.
West’s political endeavors were unconventional from the start. In 2020, he ran under the banner of his self-created Birthday Party, joining the race so late that he appeared on the ballot in only 12 states. Despite an audience of millions and self-funding $9 million, West garnered a mere 60,000 votes in the election between Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.
Controversy also marred the rapper’s short-lived campaign. In May, British commentator Milo Yiannopoulos claimed to be the “director of political operations” for West’s 2024 bid, which raised legal questions. Labeled by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as a “misogynistic, racist, xenophobic, transphobic troll,” he is no longer involved, according to reports.
It’s worth noting that West’s exit from politics wasn’t entirely surprising. His music and fashion career were sidetracked last year due to a series of anti-Semitic rants. However, Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden, head of one of the many companies that cut ties, didn’t believe that the Chicago native “meant what he said.”
During the “In Good Company” podcast in September, he stated, “I don’t think he’s a bad person. It just came across that way.”
Industry insiders at Billboard reported that West is now focused on his music career. The outlet noted that he was shopping around for a label to distribute his album in collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign.