Tesla’s Elon Musk and Hip-Hop Legend Kanye West are two industry leaders. Elon Musk is the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and the Boring Company, while Kanye has spent many years of his career as one of the best artists that the Hip-Hop/Rap genre has to offer. Both looked at as legends in their respective fields; the two men teamed up last week in a notorious picture that amassed hundreds of thousands of Retweets and Likes on Twitter.
Musk and West have a history as well. In December, Musk attended a party with Kanye and wife Kim Kardashian, accompanied by other rap superstars like Travis Scott and Quavo of “Migos.” Musk and Kanye, along with the other two artists, took pictures and celebrated the Holiday together.
The recent photograph, however, seemed to be a statement against the current Presidential Administration, as just a few days later, Kanye announced his intentions to run for the Office of President of the United States of America. The man who recorded some of rap’s most powerful songs would run as a representative of the “Birthday Party,” and the man who just led the first privatized company to put people into space would be the head of the West Administration’s Space Program.
You have my full support!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 5, 2020
West would continue a trend of U.S. Citizens electing celebrities with no “real” political experience into the White House. But, in all honesty, anything is worth a shot, right?
The partnership between Musk and West would be indicative of an administration comprised of two people who are Google’d more often than many people. West and Musk share a few similarities that have to deal with their fan bases. A cult-like following for both men follows their every move, justifying and supporting whatever the most recent choices of their respective idol are.
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As a fan of both individuals, I have called Elon Musk my favorite “businessperson” for several years, while Kanye has been my favorite “musical artist” since 2010. Both men, outspoken and passionate in their own rights, have attracted a type of attention that seems to be either love or hate, and there are very few people who are stuck in the middle.
Musk is a visionary. A man who sees a future past planet Earth and will do anything it takes to stop the destruction of the planet, along with the extinction of the human race. Developing sustainable transportation, backed up with a plan to escape the planet and head to Mars if things don’t go according to the Master Plan. Personally, I’ll never understand how someone can dislike the guy, but I have encountered people over the years who have refused to give Musk a chance to prove himself. Immediately writing him off, until they get an opportunity to ride in one of his cars, Musk is a man who speaks his mind, which is something of a dying breed. The CEO is one of the few examples of a “real” person that is left in this world, and to me, that is certainly respectable.
West is virtually no different, just more controversial. He has always been a man who has put his personal anecdotes into his music, lyrically. I remember when West confronted a paparazzi by taking his camera, which in turn became a lyric in the song “New Slaves,” where he described taking “recorders” from the paparazzo. The subjects of his music have been controversial, but they have described events in his life in a passionate way. After President Trump was elected, West showed up at the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York City to have a conversation. After dawning the red “Make America Great Again” hat, West made his support of the newly elected President clear.
“So go and grab the reporters
So I can smash their recorders”
-Kanye West, “New Slaves,” 2013
Since then, “Ye” has halted his support for the President. In an interview with Forbes, West stated that he was “taking the red hat off with this interview.” It may have been an indication that West was fed up with Trump’s response to any of the recent conflicts that have plagued our country. More than likely, however, it was a nod of seriousness that he would be running to take the Presidency from Trump.
The two men’s photograph together captured the essence of a stance against a man who has gone against what both men have stood for since the beginning of their journeys. Musk has aimed toward a sustainable future for transportation and energy. On the contrary, Trump has taken put both issues on hold in favor of coal and natural gas supply because of employment measures. However, Trump implemented tariffs of solar energy, which sent 62,000 jobs to other countries, something he promised not to do while campaigning for office.
Kanye, although vocally supportive of Trump for the past few years, has decided to officially retire his duties as a supporter of the President. However, he didn’t speak badly about Trump to Forbes, but did have quite a few things to say about Democratic candidate Joe Biden.
The essence of Kanye’s presidential campaign is backed by religious beliefs, which has been the main focus of the West family for a few years. Kanye has started a “Sunday Service,” which hosts a gospel Church service on most Sundays in the Los Angeles area. The events are aimed toward spreading love, equality, and the word of God, and his campaign seems to be no different.
Many of the questions based on his campaign techniques were answered with responses that would come from someone who is religious. But, nonetheless, West’s political campaign is young and untested, and he only has a few months to prepare before November.
Most recently, developments between Musk and West may have taken a turn. After West posted, and quickly deleted, an anti-abortion Tweet and claimed he was anti-vaccine, Musk claimed, “We may have more differences of opinion than I anticipated.”
The question is: Is West’s run toward the U.S. Presidency real? If he wins, will Musk be the Head of the Space Force? Can the two men find common ground on their differences if West wins the election?
Only time will tell.
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Elon Musk
NASA updated Artemis III and SpaceX’s role just got more complicated
SpaceX’s Starship is the key to NASA’s Moon plan and the timeline is already slipping.
SpaceX has been at the center of NASA’s Moon ambitions for five years, and the updated Artemis III plan recently released by NASA makes that relationship more visible than ever. In April 2021, NASA awarded SpaceX a $2.89 billion contract to develop the Starship Human Landing System, selecting it as the sole provider to land astronauts on the Moon under Artemis III. Blue Origin filed legal protests, lost, and eventually received its own contract, but SpaceX was always the program’s primary lander contractor.
The original plan called for Starship to land two astronauts on the lunar south pole. That mission slipped as Starship development ran behind schedule, and in February 2026, NASA officially revised the Artemis III architecture entirely. The mission will now remain in low Earth orbit and serve as a crewed rendezvous and docking test between the Orion spacecraft and both the SpaceX Starship HLS pathfinder and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 pathfinder, with the actual Moon landing pushed to Artemis IV in 2028.
What makes SpaceX’s position particularly significant is the direct line between this week’s Starship V3 launch and the Artemis timeline. The Starship HLS is essentially a modified version of the V3 upper stage, meaning SpaceX cannot realistically prepare a lander for a 2027 docking test until it has demonstrated that the base vehicle flies reliably at scale. Flight 12, targeting this week, is the first data point in that sequence.
NASA has spent nearly $7 billion on Human Landing System development since awarding contracts to SpaceX and Blue Origin in 2021 and 2023, and NASA administrator Jared Isaacman has indicated a desire to drive down costs going forward. As Teslarati reported, before Starship HLS can put anyone on the Moon it has to solve a problem no rocket has demonstrated at scale, which is refueling in orbit, requiring approximately ten tanker launches worth of propellant loaded into a depot before the lander has enough fuel to reach the lunar surface.
The Artemis III mission described by NASA is essentially a stress test for every system that needs to work before any of that happens.
SpaceX has gone from a launch contractor to the single most critical hardware provider in America’s return-to-the-Moon program. With an IPO targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation and Elon Musk’s compensation tied directly to Mars colonization, the pressure on every Starship milestone between now and 2028 has never been higher.
Tesla is continuing to refine and improve its Robotaxi program from A to Z, and it is now going to make some sweeping changes to the smartphone app portion of the suite.
The company is aiming to make some sweeping changes with the release of Robotaxi app version 26.4.5, which was recently decompiled by Tesla App Updates on X. The update reveals significant new code, focused on remote operations, safety protocols, and seamless autonomous ride-hailing.
These improvements evidently signal Tesla’s preparations for scaling unsupervised Cybercab deployments, particularly the steering wheel-less variants spotted in production. The enhancements emphasize providing a reliable experience that gives passengers support when needed, along with operational efficiency.
Version 26.4.5 of the Robotaxi app has been de-compiled and we’ve got some interesting things added this update (https://t.co/jInbED7fOv):
– Remote Operator Voice Calls 📞
– Proactive Remote Assistance 🤖
– Manual Override + Remote Start for wheel-less Cybercabs 🎮
-…
— Tesla App Updates (iOS) (@Tesla_App_iOS) May 16, 2026
Remote Operator Voice Calls
One standout addition is support for remote operator voice calls. The app now includes a dedicated native voice-communication system linking passengers directly to Tesla teleoperators via the vehicle’s cabin microphone and speakers.
This feature allows real-time assistance during rides, addressing issues like navigation questions or comfort adjustments without disrupting the autonomous journey. It builds on existing support protocols, making human intervention more accessible and intuitive.
Proactive Remote Assistance
The update introduces proactive remote assistance capabilities. Rather than waiting for passenger-initiated requests, the system can anticipate and offer help based on monitored conditions.
This might include something like suggesting route changes, climate adjustments, or addressing potential delays. By integrating AI-driven monitoring with human oversight, Tesla aims to deliver a smoother, more attentive experience that exceeds traditional ride-sharing services.
Manual Override and Remote Start for Steering Wheel-less Cybercabs
A key highlight for the wheel-less Cybercab fleet is manual override plus remote start functionality. Fleet operators and technicians can now temporarily take control or remotely start vehicles lacking steering wheels. This is crucial for lower-speed maneuvers, such as getting vehicles from tight parking situations or even performing maintenance.
Controls are strictly limited for safety–typically to speeds under 2 MPH–ensuring these interventions remain emergency measures only.
Tesla is adding a secure “Enable Manual Drive” mode that will allow those fleet operators or others to take control temporarily.
Additionally, a Remote Start feature, which authorizes an empty vehicle to begin a driverless ride alone.
Ride-Hailing and Dispatch Features
Ride dispatch has been enhanced with soft-matching and multi-stop support. The app can intelligently pair riders with available Cybercabs while accommodating multiple destinations in a single trip.
This optimizes fleet utilization, reduces wait times, and improves efficiency for shared rides. Soft-matching likely considers factors like proximity, rider preferences, and vehicle availability for better user satisfaction.
Rider-Cabin Sync, Real-Time Routing
New synchronization tools allow the rider’s app to mirror and control cabin settings like seating, climate, and entertainment directly from their phone. Real-time routing updates adapt dynamically to traffic or road conditions, while dynamic safety monitoring continuously assesses the environment.
The app can now push updates directly to the main screen, enabling Center Display Control. Additionally, there is a dedicated navigation protocol sharing the exact coordinates of road closures and construction, which could prevent the car from getting stuck and needing manual override.
These features create a cohesive, responsive experience where the vehicle and app work in harmony.
Kill Switch
A high-security command lets Tesla completely freeze a vehicle’s ability to drive. This would take the vehicle out of the Robotaxi fleet for any reason Tesla sees fit, and would not allow it to be put into gear even with the correct equipment, like valid keys.
Elon Musk
SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon just joined forces for one reason: Starlink is winning.
America’s three largest wireless carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, announced on On May 14, 2026 that they had agreed in principle to form a joint venture aimed at pooling their spectrum resources to expand satellite-based direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity across the United States in what can be seen as a direct response to SpaceX’s Starlink initiative. D2D, in plain terms, is technology that lets a standard smartphone connect directly to a satellite in orbit, the same way it connects to a cell tower, with no extra hardware required.
The alliance is widely seen as a means to slow Starlink’s rapid expansion in the satellite internet and mobile markets. SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile service launched commercially in July 2025 through a partnership with T-Mobile, starting with messaging before expanding to broadband data. SpaceX secured access to valuable wireless spectrum through its $17 billion deal with EchoStar, paving the way for significantly faster satellite-to-phone speeds.
SpaceX was not shy about its reaction. SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell responded on X: “Weeeelllll, I guess Starlink Mobile is doing something right! It’s David and Goliath (X3) all over again — I’m bettin’ on David.” SpaceX’s VP of Satellite Policy David Goldman went further, flagging potential antitrust concerns and asking whether the DOJ would even allow three dominant competitors to coordinate in a market where a new rival is actively entering.
Weeeelllll, I guess @Starlink Mobile is doing something right! It’s David and Goliath (X3) all over again — I’m bettin’ on David 🙂 https://t.co/5GzS752mxL
— Gwynne Shotwell (@Gwynne_Shotwell) May 14, 2026
Financial analysts at LightShed Partners were blunt, saying the announcement showed the three carriers are “nervous,” and pointed to the timing: “You announce an agreement in principle when the point is the announcement, not the deal. The timing, weeks ahead of the SpaceX roadshow, was the point.”
As Teslarati reported, SpaceX’s next generation Starlink V2 satellites will deliver up to 100 times the data density of the current system, with custom silicon and phased array antennas enabling around 20 times the throughput of the first generation. The carriers’ JV, which has no definitive agreement, no financial structure, and no deployment timeline yet, will need to move quickly to matter.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is targeting a Nasdaq listing as early as June 12, aiming for what would be the largest IPO in history. With Starlink now serving over 9 million subscribers across 155 countries, holding 59 carrier partnerships globally, and now powering Air Force One, the carriers’ joint venture announcement landed at exactly the wrong time to look like anything other than a defensive move.
NASA updated Artemis III and SpaceX’s role just got more complicated
Tesla is making sweeping improvements to Robotaxi
