*By Max Godnick*
Kanye West was slinging optimistic platitudes last month, courting conservative thought leaders, and increasing his public profile.
Could a trip to Iowa be next?
The rapper's recent Twitter activity has caused some pundits to speculate about his political ambitions.
In April, West expressed his "love" for President Trump and wore a "Make America Great Again" hat in [a photo](https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989222392630202368). He said he "likes the way" the right-wing commentator Candace Owens thinks, and released a new song with the lyric: "I know Obama was heaven-sent, but ever since Trump won, it proved that I could be president."
West had teased a potential White House run in September 2015 at MTV's Video Music Awards, where he announced, "I have decided in 2020 to run for president."
Last week, he appeared to postpone his plan, cryptically tweeting ["2024"](https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/988984329295441921).
"I could see him trying," said Brande Victorian, the managing editor of MadameNoire, a Black women's lifestyle site. "I mean, we didn't think Trump would be here."
Republicans have embraced West's newly-public political musings. Donald Trump Jr. [tweeted a photo](https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/990930382685196288) Monday of West with Owens and the conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Victorian said Tuesday in an interview with Cheddar she was skeptical that West could convince his fans to fully get behind conservatives.
"You're asking virtually everyone who the party does not care about to all of a sudden have empathy for this group, which is nonsensical," she said.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/will-kanye-west-run-for-president).
Airbnb.org has announced that it will provide up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees with free housing. Airbnb.org is the philanthropic branch of Airbnb that provides free housing for those affected by disasters. Joe Gebbia, co-founder and chairman of Airbnb.org, joined Cheddar News to talk about how the company has helped thousands find shelter in times of crisis. "A lot of people are saying this conflict is likely to be the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, and I believe Airbnb believes that companies have a responsibility to step up and to help out in times like these," he said.
As companies struggle to recruit and retain employees, major retailers are raising wages. According to Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank data, the country's youngest workers are seeing the fastest wage growth of any group, even outpacing inflation. Daniel Altman, chief economist at staffing firm Instawork, breaks down the impact of inflation on the labor market, the power shift from employer to employee, and how the Russia-Ukraine crisis might impact jobs and salaries moving forward. "There's a feeling that the wage increases have been postponed for quite a long time and with prices going up, there's just a little more urgency right now," he said.
Chris French, Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, joins Cheddar Reveals to break down the psychology behind ghosts and what we perceive as the paranormal.
Paul Patterson, Associate Professor of English at Saint Joseph's University, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss why we find ghost stories so compelling and how the horror genre has grown and evolved within American culture.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted blood donations leading to severe shortages throughout the country. Chloe Aiello reports on the desperate need for new donors.
JPMorgan Chase celebrates black culture and our communities every day as we continue to celebrate Black History Month. Cheddar News is highlighting prominent Black Americans who are carving their own historic paths and trailblazing in their industries. Today we turn our focus to one leader helping shift the culture of amateur sports across the U.S through esports. CEO and Founder of PlayVS, Delane parnell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
