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Rapper Ye, then still Kanye West, in a photo from 2020
Photo:
Evan Agostini / AP
In October, Kanye West changed its name to Ye.
Now he's breaking new ground again: The rapper wants to go to Russia this year to perform there and meet President Vladimir Putin.
"He'll be spending a lot of time in the country," the rapper's advisor, Ameer Sudan, told Billboard magazine.
Russia will become his "second home".
Accordingly, the rapper wants to perform one of his so-called Sunday shows in Russia - church-like concerts with gospel choirs.
The music magazine also reported, citing Sudan, that West wants to negotiate new deals with real estate magnate Aras Agalarov - an Azerbaijani-Russian billionaire and businessman with ties to former US President Donald Trump.
Agalarov's son, singer and entrepreneur Emin Agalarov, is also said to be involved.
Until 2015, Emin was married to Leyla Aliyeva, the daughter of the authoritarian ruling President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
Emin Agalarov is said to have coordinated a controversial meeting in Trump Tower in 2016, at which Trump's election manager met with Moscow lawyer Natalja Weselnitskaya.
In the room there was a secret collaboration between Trump and circles in Russia.
Agalarov met the Trumps through the Miss Universe beauty pageant that Trump Senior hosted in Moscow in 2013.
The local host was Aras Agalarows, who boasts close ties with Putin.
Son Emin sang at the event and later made a music video featuring Trump.
The father even planned to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.
"Ye is Ye - it cannot be controlled"
Neither travel restrictions because of the corona pandemic nor political tensions between the United States and Russia would deter Ye, said Sudan, according to the "Billboard".
"Kanye knows more than the average person what is going on, he is very aware of things." His plans are not about opposing the United States or causing conflicts.
"But ye is ye - it cannot be controlled," said his advisor.
The rapper last released a two-hour album entitled "Donda" in August.
West had previously made headlines with his private life: In February, his wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce after almost seven years of marriage.
West also caused a stir last year when he ran for the US presidential election, but ultimately received hardly any votes.
ala / dpa