Kanye's Rant On The Ellen Show

Rapper Kanye West's latest raucous rant crescendoed to the topic of synesthesia.

Speaking on Thursday's episode of "Ellen," the ever-outspoken rapper credited his artistic genius to the neurological condition that allows him to physically envision every musical note as a colorful manifestation.

"I have a condition called synesthesia where I see sounds," West told the audience and host Ellen DeGeneres. "Everything I sonically make is a painting. I see it. I see the importance and the value of everyone being able to experience a more beautiful life."

It's not the first time West has spoken up about the phenomenon — and other big name artists including Pharrell Williams and Charli XCX have claimed to see colors when they hear music as well.

But non-musicians might not be so familiar with the term.

The American Synesthesia Association states on its website that a person has the rare condition if the "customary boundaries between the senses appear to break down, sight mingling with sound, or taste with touch."

In layman's terms, that means someone with synesthesia automatically experiences multiple sensations with a single stimulation. In addition to music, it could mean an artist associates a specific number with a color, or hears a word or sound and links it to a taste or smell.

For his part, West said the connection he makes between sound and color — as well as culture — helped him create arguably his most innovative album to date, "Yeezus."

"Stepping forward with what I know about architecture, about classicism, about society, about texture, about synesthesia — the ability to see sound — and the way everything is everything and all these things combine, and then starting from scratch with Yeezus," he told director Steve McQueen in an conversation for Interview magazine.

West, 38, touched on a number of other topics in Thursday's interview with Ellen, too.

He doubled down on his string of boastful tweets earlier this year by telling the talk show host he could change the word if given the necessary investment.

"I feel if I had more resources, I could help more people," West said. "I have ideas that can make the human race existence within our hundred years, better. Period.

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