Kanye West is ''serious'' about running for president.

The 'Heartless' rapper announced over the weekend he intends on entering the 2020 race for the White House in the US this November, and although he is yet to register his name as a candidate with the Federal Election Commission, sources insist he isn't joking about his intent to run.

An insider told 'Entertainment Tonight': ''Kanye is telling people close to him that his announcement of running for president is serious. [He] has been toying with the idea for a while and has been getting more and more into politics.

''Kanye has talked to several high-powered friends over the years about his idea and has gotten their support behind closed doors.''

The source added that Kanye's wife, Kim Kardashian West, and his family and friends all ''fully support his dream to run for president,'' as they ''feel he has more to offer than what people think''.

However, the 43-year-old rapper still has some hurdles to jump before he can enter the race, as he has already missed the deadline to appear on the ballot paper as the candidate for either of the two main parties - the Democrats and the Republicans - meaning he will have to run as an independent.

Kanye has also missed the deadline to register as a candidate in Indiana, Maine, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas, so will not appear on the ballot in those states come November.

The rapper still has time to officially register in other states, but they each have their own rules to get on the ballot.

Kanye announced his intent to run in the 2020 election this weekend, when he tweeted: ''We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States [US flag emoji]! #2020VISION (sic)''

The Yeezy founder had spoken about running for office in 2015, when he said he would be campaigning for the job in the 2020 election, however last year he pushed back the date to 2024.