In a new interview with Vanity Fair, rapper Kanye West says he is “definitely” planning on running for president in 2020, and also praises GOP candidate Dr. Ben Carson, who he calls “brilliant.”

During a 13-minute lifetime award acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards last month, Kanye admitted to “smoking a little something,” before saying, “I have decided in 2020 to run for president.”

The rapper now confirms he was serious about the statement, telling Vanity Fair during a wide-ranging interview about fashion, music, and politics, “I want everyone to win. When I run for president, I’d prefer not to run against someone. I would be like ‘I want to work with you.’”

“As soon as I heard [Ben] Carson speak, I tried for three weeks to get on the phone with him. I was like this is the most brilliant guy,” said West.

Kanye added, “I think all the people running right now have something that each of the others needs,” but also criticized the campaign process, saying, “this gladiator battle takes away from the main focus that the world needs help and the world needs all the people in a position of power or influence to come together.”

Kanye also declared that six years of being disliked by people because of a “misconception” is over, and that after he announced his candidacy at the VMAs, people viewed him differently.

“It was like, ‘Wait a second, we would really be into that, because actually if you think about it, he’s extremely thoughtful. Every time he’s ever gotten in trouble, he was really jumping in front of a bullet for someone else. He’s probably the most honest celebrity that we have.’ I didn’t approach that because I thought it would be fun. It wasn’t like, Oh, let’s go rent some jet skis in Hawaii. No, the exact opposite. I sit in clubs and I’m like, Wow, I’ve got five years before I go and run for office and I’ve got a lot of research to do, I’ve got a lot of growing up to do. My dad has two masters degrees. My mom has a PhD, she used to work at Operation PUSH. Somehow the more and more creative I get, the closer and closer I get to who I was as a child. When I was a child, I was holding my mom’s hand at Operation PUSH. I think it’s time. Rap is great. …It’s fun. It’s fun to be a rock star, and I’ll never not be one I guess, but there’ll be a point where I become my mother’s child,” said Kanye.”

Kanye concluded, saying he hates politics, but cares about people.

“I’m not a politician at all. I care about the truth and I just care about human beings. I just want everyone to win, that’s all I can say.”