Kanye West says that he was “completely devastated” when he first heard about the assault on Rihanna in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The rapper, who toured with Rihanna on the Glow in the Dark tour, says that the singer is like his “baby sister” and that he will do all he can to help her through the difficult times. According to TMZ.com Rihanna was allegedly assaulted by her boyfriend Chris Brown.

Speaking to Ryan Seacrest on his breakfast show in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning (February 10), Kanye said: "I feel like Rihanna is so important to our culture, to pop music... I feel like she is the most important artist in music and has the most potential.

"She has the potential to be the greatest artist of all time. That's my baby sister and I will do any and everything to help her in any situation."

Kanye added: "At the beginning of the American Boy performance (at the Grammys) is when I really heard... what might have happened... I was completely devastated during the performance.

"I don't care how famous she is or even if she just worked at McDonald's, that should never happen."

(by Scott Colothan)