Rapper Kanye West announces 2020 US Presidential bid; Elon Musk backs him

Rapper Kanye West has announced that he is running for the office of US President this year.

The multiple Grammy winner took to social media on country's 244th Independence Day (July 4) to share the news.

"We must now realise the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States!" West wrote on Twitter using a hashtag #2020VISION.

If he were to launch a campaign for the upcoming elections on November 3, West will go up against President Donald Trump, of whom he has been a vocal supporter, and Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden.

According to NBC, during a speech at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2015, West said he was planning on running for president in 2020.

The recording artiste also opened up about taking a political plunge as recently as November 2019.

"When I run for president in 2024, we would've created so many jobs that I'm not going to run, I'm going to walk," he had said at an event.

West and his wife, reality TV star Kim Kardashian, have visited Trump at the White House in the last few years.

West has also often been spotted wearing the signature Trump campaign 'Make America Great Again' cap.

On his announcement, he received backing from Kardashian, who retweeted his post with an emoji of the American flag, and Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.

"You have my full support!" tweeted Musk.