Kanye West considered taking his own life several times in the past, he has claimed.
The rapper made the admission at a US screening of his new short film, Runaway, but added he now feels a responsibility to be a "soldier for culture".
West did not go into specifics about when and why he was plagued by such thoughts, saying simply, "there were times that I contemplated suicide", before adding: "I will not give up on life again. There's so many people that will never get the chance to have their voice heard. I do it for them."
The hip-hop star made Runaway as a companion piece to his new album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The film is narrated by rising rap star Nicki Minaj and features West playing a character called Griffin, who is portrayed on the album's artwork. This week he claimed it had been banned by retailers.
According to the Associated Press, the 33-year-old said that after a "long hard year" he has found his "creative sweet spot" by "(thinking like) a five-year-old at all times".
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is released on 22 November.
