Kanye West Covers Time Magazine's ‘100 Most Influential People’ Issue

Expectedly, after a year of huge success and equally as visible growth, Kanye West not only made the list but is one of Time’s six cover people for 2015’s ‘100 Most Influential People Issue’ alongside Misty Copeland, Bradley Cooper, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Jorge Ramos. Within the magazine, an influencer in his own right, Tesla’s Elon Musk writes:

Kanye West would be the first person to tell you he belongs on this list. The dude doesn’t believe in false modesty, and he shouldn’t. 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. And he fought for his place in the cultural pantheon with a purpose. In his debut album, over a decade ago, Kanye issued what amounted to a social critique and a call to arms (with a beat): “We rappers is role models: we rap, we don’t think.” But Kanye does think. Constantly. About everything. And he wants everybody else to do the same: to engage, question, push boundaries. Now that he’s a pop-culture juggernaut, he has the platform to achieve just that. 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.

Ye has also managed to make Time’s list a family affair as his wife, Kim Kardashian West is included on the list as well. As Musk mentioned, Kanye will be the first person to tell he belongs on the list but we all know it would be right after he tells you his wife should be number one on the list.

Along with the West’s Barack Obama, Laverne Cox, Tim Cook, presidential hopeful Hilary Clinton, Pope Francis and even Taylor Swift are on the list.

Written by Rae Witte