Kanye West has described his wife Kim Kardashian West as a misunderstood ''legend''.

The 'Yeesuz' rapper has hit back at detractors who have claimed his wife didn't deserve her win at the annual GQ Men of the Year awards.

Kim - who picked up the Woman of the Year award at the ceremony in London on Tuesday (02.09.14) - was defended by her husband, after he attacked the haters who don't give the 33-year-old television personality enough credit.

Talking to the Metro newspaper backstage at the event, Kanye ranted: ''It's well deserved, for all those tight motherf***ers who don't want to give her any credit.

''And it's time. She is a legend! They don't understand what social media is so they only want to give it to an actress and blah blah blah and she is a legend.

''They need to respect that and understand that and that's what we are doing in everybody's faces.''

He then added: ''So middle finger to all the uptight people who don't want to stand up for Kim mother******* Kardashian!''

Kim - who has 14-month-old daughter North with Kanye - accepted the award from GQ editor Dylan Jones, but quickly corrected him when he referred to her by her maiden name, Kardashian.

She quipped: ''It's Kim Kardashian West''

Kim later shared: ''It's such an honour! Woman of the Year? It's the biggest thing!''