Elon Musk has never exactly played it safe with his opinions. So when he was asked in 2018 who inspires him, he didn’t go with a fellow tech mogul or rocket scientist.
“Well, Kanye West, obviously,” Musk said without missing a beat during a live Q&A at South by Southwest in Austin. He then threw in Fred Astaire for good measure and joked, “You should see my dance moves.”
The crowd chuckled when Musk dropped Kanye’s name—but Musk wasn’t laughing. He’d been backing Ye for years. In a 2015 essay for Time’s list of the 100 most influential people, Musk praised West’s relentless self-belief and unshakable drive.
Don’t Miss:
“Kanye’s belief in himself and his incredible tenacity — he performed his first single with his jaw wired shut — got him to where he is today,” Musk wrote. “He’s not afraid of being judged or ridiculed in the process. Kanye’s been playing the long game all along, and we’re only just beginning to see why.”
He had the receipts too. In 2011, Musk shared a photo of Ye touring the SpaceX rocket factory with him. By 2018, West was tweeting about his Tesla, saying, “I really love my Tesla. I’m in the future. Thank you Elon Musk.” Musk showed up to West’s house wearing Yeezys.
It wasn’t just sneakers and selfies. In a 2020 interview with Forbes, West said Musk was one of only two people advising him on his last-minute presidential campaign. The other was Kim Kardashian. “We’ve been talking about this for years,” West said. “I proposed to him to be the head of our space program.”
Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation.
It was a wild pairing—tech’s most unpredictable CEO and hip-hop’s most polarizing figure. But it didn’t last.
Today’s Best Finance Deals
In late 2022, West tweeted antisemitic content that included a swastika inside a Star of David. Musk, who had just taken over Twitter, responded by suspending his account. “He again violated our rule against incitement to violence,” Musk said at the time. He also unfollowed him.
That should’ve been the end of it. But in July 2023, Ye’s account was quietly reinstated. Multiple outlets, including BBC, confirmed the unbanning took place that month. Musk later claimed the decision was made before his acquisition of Twitter was finalized.
By 2025, West had picked up right where he left off. In February, he praised Hitler and promoted swastika-themed merchandise during a bizarre Super Bowl-adjacent campaign. Two months later, he livestreamed a hateful rant on Twitch, thanking Musk for giving him “free passes.”
See Also: Are you rich? Here’s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy.
There’s been no formal reconciliation. No tweet from Musk, no meeting, no comment. West earlier this month tweeted a plea for peace: “Broooos please noooooo. We love you both so much,” urging Musk and President Donald Trump to get along. That was it.
The friendship that once inspired essays, sneaker drops, and even political ambitions fizzled with no closure. Still, for a brief moment, Musk didn’t point to Steve Jobs or Nikola Tesla when asked who inspired him.
He pointed to Kanye West. Obviously.
Read Next:
Image: Shutterstock
Source link