Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, made headlines Tuesday after Billboard reported that the rap star was planning to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
But Ye’s rep said the story, which got picked up by a number of media outlets, is “entirely fabricated.”
Pierre Rougier told Rolling Stone via email that the report is a “work of fiction or wishful thinking from these Russian people.”
(The Billboard article was updated shortly after being published to mention that Ye’s “personal and label reps” declined to comment.)
Citing Ye’s “confidant and strategic advisor Ameer Sudan” as its source, Billboard reported that the rapper is “planning a trip to Moscow later this year to meet with President Vladimir Putin, hold Sunday Service performances as his first-ever shows in Russia and expand his business ventures into the country.”
Sudan is quoted as saying Russia will be “a second home” for Ye, who also plans to collaborate with Russian music artist Erin Agalarov. He's the son of billionaire Aras Agalarov, who previously did business with Donald Trump.
Last week, Ye was spotted having dinner with Trump's son-in-law and former White House advisor Jared Kushner, at Miami Beach restaurant Carbone. Trump has boasted about his friendship with Putin.