Kayne West’s famous temper is under the spotlight again after Northumberland police arrested the hip-hop heavyweight on suspicion of assault in the early hours of this morning.

The 31-year-old rapper and producer, currently touring the UK, reportedly attacked a paparazzi photographer as he left Newcastle nightclub Tup Tup Palace.

Terry Blackburn alleges he suffered a cut face and bruising after the chart-topper pushed his camera into his face and shouted: “Get the f***ing camera off him!”

A Northumberland police spokesman told Times Online: “We arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of assault.”

“He was released without charge and there will be no further police action taken.”

It is the second time in as many months that the rapper has been taken into custody after clashes with the paparazzi.

In September, West was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after allegedly smashing a photographer’s camera. Part of the incident was caught on video by another member of the press and showed the rapper throwing a piece of camera equipment to the ground.

He became known for his quick temper in 2006 when he failed to win the best video gong at the MTV Europe Music Awards. West took to the stage and ranted to the audience that he should have won.

But this year, after winning the Ultimate Urban Award, he publicly criticised the awards again, accusing organisers of giving him the prize because he attended the ceremony. The rapper said it should have gone to Lil Wayne.

West has impressed fans and garnered critical praise for his high-tech Glow In The Dark tour, which features a moving stage, explosions and even waterfalls. But earlier this week, the rapper said he was struggling with life in the spotlight and grief over the first anniversary of his mother's death. Donda West died suddenly last year following cosmetic surgery.

"I'm just going through balancing that. And I always used to have that support system, you know. My mom would be there; no matter what, she was there before everything."

"We were together for like 30 years. And you know now when I'm on that stage and I look out and I say, 'What am I going to do with the rest of my life?' Like when does a real life start?' Because I have sacrificed real life to be a celebrity and to give this art to people, which is great. It is great that I was able to do that, I'm not trying to shun that in any way, but it's definitely a Catch-22 and it's bittersweet."

A wave of sympathy followed, but a few days later he came in for ridicule after claiming to be the voice of his generation.

West declared: “I realise that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice."

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