Kanye West, who has now changed his name to Ye, has declared that he is no less than a "young Putin" when it comes to culture.
Speaking on Revolt TV's "Drink Champs" podcast on Thursday, the rapper did not just make the audacious comparison, but also provided an explanation.
"I'm like young Putin", he asserted. "I used to say I was young Vladimir until I realised I was Vladimir. You know the moment when I realised it was? When I realised culture is an oil, culture is an energy. And I'm the king of culture, for the past 20, and the next 2,000 years".
The claim threw the hosts for a loop, causing them to clarify whether he indeed meant "Vladimir Putin, the Russian president" - which he immediately confirmed.
Social media users appreciated the comparison as well, even though it did not appear to surprise them too much.
Comparing the pictures of Ye and actual young Putin, some users even ironically suggested the two could be "twins".
Others chuckled and suggested Ye may compare himself to other Russian presidents too.
West and politics are not exactly strangers, since the rapper appears to be very keen on the topic. Not only is Ye a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump (something he recently reaffirmed), this isn't the first time he's touched upon the issue of Russian politics.
In 2018, American analyst Eric Garland voiced concerns that Kanye was a "Kremlin agent" - something that, according to him, would explain the rapper's controversial statements and political views.