Kanye West made a joke about George W. Bush
West, who has had a series of headline-making comments over the years, began his address by describing the phrase "I'm sorry" as "something that you can use a lot."
"It gives you opportunity to give your opinion, apologize for it, and give your opinion again," West said.
He continued by hinting at one of the more controversial opinions he expressed during his career - his critique of Bush.
"George Bush," West said, before taking a lengthy pause.
The audience clapped and laughed after hearing West mentioned the president's name. West smiled at them before continuing in a way the crowd didn't necessarily expect. He said Bush, "has some very cool self portraits.
"I didn't know he was an artist," West said to further laughs.
West's comments about Bush's post-presidency artistic endeavors were far more positive than his past assessment of the president.
In one of the more infamous moments of his career, West appeared on a national telethon held following 2005's Hurricane Katrina and declared, "George Bush doesn't care about black people."
West's remark became one of the more high profile critiques of the Bush administration's response to the hurricane in the majority African-American parts of New Orleans, Louisiana.
In his 2010 memoir, "Decision Points," Bush described West's accusation that he did not respond to the storm quickly enough because he lacked concern for black people as "an all time low" of his time in the White House.
"He called me a racist. And I didn't appreciate it then. I don't appreciate it now," Bush said in an interview with Matt Lauer.
Watch West's full speech below.