John Legend Misses The Old Kanye West: 'The World Needs Him'

It's no secret John Legend and Kanye West have been good friends for quite some time.

Like any real friend would be, 38-year-old Legend was deeply "concerned" about West after learning about his mental breakdown last month.

Kanye had been touring the country as part of his Saint Pablo tour when he decided to go on a lengthy rant aimed at people like Jay Z and Mark Zuckerberg.

Kanye West then followed up with another rant at another show. During the second rant, Yeezy voiced his full support for President-elect Donald Trump.

As expected, Kanye received plenty of backlash from his biggest critics: his fans. Days later, it was announced that Kanye would be canceling his remaining tour dates.

As if the rants and show cancellations weren't alarming enough, Kanye West then checked into a hospital following a psychiatric breakdown.

That's when John Legend, a close friend of Kanye, spoke to CBS reporters about the rapper, saying,

We were with Kim actually, you know, right before all of that. I was concerned by what I saw, so hopefully he's getting some rest and some time to figure things out.

'Ye was eventually released from the UCLA Medical Center on November 30. While he was said to be resting up at home with Kim and their two children, the 39-year-old rapper and fashion designer wasted no time jumping back into the spotlight.

In a highly publicized (and criticized) move, Kanye took a trip to New York City shortly following his hospitalization to spend some quality time with Trump.

John Legend was quick to denounce Kanye's "stunt." In an interview with French media outlet Clique, Legend stated,

I don't think it's impossible to talk to [Donald Trump] about issues, but I won't be used as a publicity stunt. I think Kanye was a publicity stunt.

Legend went on to refer back to when Kanye originally voiced his support for Trump while on tour. He added,

I'm pretty disappointed with Kanye that he says he would have voted for Trump. I think Trump has been corrosive, his message has been corrosive to the country. I think the things he's promised to do have been very concerning for a lot of people, and for Kanye to support that message is very disappointing.

Most recently, despite disagreeing with Kanye West's recent decisions, John Legend is ensuring everyone he just wants the best for Kanye and that "the world needs him."

During an interview with Rolling Stone, Legend spoke on West's recent hospitalization, explaining,

This is a very difficult life and a difficult business. I don't want to try to play pop psychologist, so I'm not gonna try to analyze what's happening with him. I just want him to do whatever he needs to do to feel better and to feel like he's ready to go again because music needs him. The world needs him. I think he's such an important talent. We need him at full strength. How do you balance everything you do — acting, producing, music, fatherhood?

When Kanye's done dyeing his hair and sharing long elevator rides with Trump, I think he should link up with John Legend for some coffee. It's quite obvious that John is one of Kanye's good friends.

Despite all of the drama that continues to bubble up around Kanye, Legend has made it clear he just wants the best for one of his "real friends." No beef.

Citations: John Legend on Kanye West: 'The World Needs Him' (Complex)