Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
Kim Kardashian with husband Kanye West Reuters

Rapper Kanye West has hit out at critics who claimed Kim Kardashian did not deserve GQ's Woman of the Year Award, describing his wife as a misunderstood "legend".

In his latest expletive filled rant, the Bound 2 hitmaker claimed that the reality star was the queen of social media and was more powerful than most actresses.

"It's well deserved, for all those tight ************* who don't want to give her any credit," he told the Metro backstage at the 2014 GQ Man of the Year Awards.

"And it's time. She is a legend! They don't understand what social media is so they only want to give it to an actress and blah blah blah and she is a legend.

"They need to respect that and understand that and that's what we are doing in everybody's faces."

He then added: "So middle finger to all the uptight people who don't want to stand up for Kim ************ Kardashian!''

Earlier in the night it was Kardashian's turn to gush about her husband.

Accepting the coveted award in a revealing custom designed gunmetal skirt from Ralph & Russo and Atsuko Kudo latex bodysuit, Mrs Kardashian West took a moment to correct GQ editor Dylan Jones, who had referred to her solely by her maiden name, Kardashian.

"It's Kim Kardashian West. I want to thank GQ for making me Woman of the Year, and my husband [Kanye West] for making me feel like woman of the year every day," she said.