The rapper spoke out about the late King of Pop in an interview with Pharrell Williams for i-d magazine.

In the chat, West expresses his admiration for Jackson and the way he lived his life and changed music, saying: “Michael Jackson was doing covert, super gangsta stuff like he’d just pop the needles off.

“He kissed Elvis Presley’s daughter on MTV. Black culture used to be… we used to be fronting all night, but Michael was doing stuff that was different to what we were programmed to understand as being what we should do.

“He bought The Beatles’ back catalogue. That was Mike Jackson, right there.”

The hip-hop star went on to seemingly address the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, in which Jackson was accused of child sex abuse.

West seemingly defended the star, saying: “We should have something that says we can’t allow any company to tear down our heroes.

“Not on The Shade Room [website], not on social media and especially not in documentaries.”

The Stronger star then compared himself to the later singer, claiming he’s been treated like “Wacko Jacko” – the nickname given to Jackson over his bizarre antics.

West said: “I’m like every time the media isn’t happy with me it’s like, ‘Here they go.

“They’re gonna come and Wacko Jacko me.’ Which in some ways, they’ve tried to do.”

In Leaving Neverland, Wade Robson and James Safechuck alleged Jackson had abused them from the ages of 10 and seven respectively after they were befriended by the King of Pop.