Kanye West graduates as a doctor a decade after The College Dropout

'You know what's gonna keep me warm? That's right, those degrees'

(Getty)

Dropping out of college to focus on creativity might have been a theme central to at least three of his albums, but Kanye West has now graduated at a ceremony in Chicago, where he received an honorary doctoral degree.

The rapper looked typically sullen at the graduation, which took place at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago yesterday.

In fairness, he did actually offer a rare smile when he accepted the degree:

During his acceptance speech in his hometown he referenced his infamous George Bush quote and admitted that he felt nervous being amongst scholars.

Here it is in full:

"I am a pop artist. So my medium is public opinion and the world is my canvas. 'I'm sorry' is something that you can use a lot, it gives you the opportunity to give your opinion, apologise for it, and give your opinion again (laughs). You should not be sorry for your opinions!

"George Bush (pauses as the audience laugh) has some very cool self-portraits. I didn't know he was an artist.

"I felt my nerves a bit and I don't feel that feeling a lot. The nerves of humility and modesty when being honoured, a humanisation, a reality, of being recognised, and all I thought as I sit here kinda shaking a little bit, is, I need to get rid of that feeling! I need to not be nervous.

"This honour is gonna make your lives easier. Two reasons; you don't have to defend me as much (laughs) and, I'm gonna make all of our lives easier. And it's these Floyd Mayweather belts that are needed to prove what I've been saying my entire life. Where there's the co-sign of Paul McCartney grabbing me, and saying 'It's OK, he doesn't bite white people' or The New York Times cover, or the Time most influential cover. And now a doctorate at The Art institute of Chicago. When I was giving a lecture at Oxford, I brought up this school because when I went on that mission to create in other spaces, apparel, film, performance, it would have been easier if I could have said that I had a degree at the Art Institute of Chicago. Thank you."