Big Sean defends Kanye West in wake of latest Twitter rant about 'white people'

Big Sean has paid tribute to his mentor Kanye West, insisting he's got "one of the biggest hearts in the world".

Kanye has been causing controversy over the past few days with rants on Twitter, with his most recent coming on Monday night (15Feb16) when he asked "white publications" such as Rolling Stone magazine and the New York Times newspaper to stop commenting on "black music".

"I love love love white people but you don't understand what it means to be the great grandson of ex slaves and make it this far," he continued. "The system is designed for coloured people to fail and one of our only voices is music. One of our only ways out is music."

However, Big Sean, who got his first shot at fame back in 2005 when he performed some freestyle rap for Kanye as he was doing a radio interview, insists he knows a very different side to the 38-year-old musician.

"He's great – he's everything you imagine," he told People on the Grammy Awards red carpet on Monday night. "Like I always tell everybody, Kanye discovered me. He saw the potential in a kid who rapped for him at the radio station, who put me on.

"Without 'Ye (Yeezy), I probably wouldn't even be here. At least he for sure gave me that path, gave me that opportunity. Anybody who can see the potential, change a kid's life like that, gotta have one of the biggest hearts in the world."

Kanye signed Big Sean to his label just two years later and the 27-year-old has gone on to become one of the rap world's most well respected artists. His song One Man Can Change The World, which features Kanye and John Legend, was nominated for best rap/sung collaboration but lost out to the night's big winner Kendrick Lamar.

John also spoke out in defence of Kanye, insisting he's not doing any harm by posting messages on Twitter, such as his recent revelation that he's $53 million in debt.

"I'm not gonna try and censor his tweets — let him live! I'm not gonna try and censor his Tweets," John told Extra. "What do you think someone's gonna say to him now that hasn't been said to him already about what he says in public?"