Kanye West is set to hold the first formal campaign event of his proposed presidential run, according to reports by ABC News and Politico. The event will take place today (July 19) at the Exquis Event Center in North Charelston, South Carolina, according to a campaign document viewed by Politico.
According to the reports, the event is for registered guests only, and attendees will be required to practice social distancing, wear masks, and sign a COVID-19 liability release form to attend. The online calendar for Exquis Event Center does not have West’s event listed.
ABC reports that the event will take place at 5 p.m., and that West will hold a press event prior to the rally. West recently tweeted a request for supporters to help him get on the South Carolina ballot.
Last week, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) received two forms that could be related to Kanye West’s 2020 presidential bid. The first form, a Statement of Organization, was filed by a committee called “Kanye 2020” on Wednesday, July 15. Kanye 2020 lists Kanye West as its candidate and West’s Cody, Wyoming ranch as its address.
The second form was a Statement of Candidacy, on which Kanye West is listed as the candidate. The given address is West’s ranch, and the political party is BDY, seemingly the abbreviation for West’s proposed Birthday Party.
An FEC spokesperson could not comment on the legitimacy of the information in the filings, but did tell Pitchfork, “Submission of false, erroneous, or incomplete information may subject the person signing the Statement to penalties of 52 U.S.C. §30109.”
In Kanye West music news: Yesterday, the rapper appeared to detail his next album DONDA in a tweet (viewed by Pitchfork) that he has since deleted. The 20-track LP, which he had previously announced as God’s Country, is slated for a July 24 release date, according to the deleted tweet. The tracklist for DONDA included the single “Wash Us in the Blood.”
Read Pitchfork’s “The Plight of the Kanye Superfan.”