Kanye West -- BEING A RAPPER IS DANGEROUS ... Just Like a Police Officer

First Tom Cruise, now Kanye West is comparing his profession to BEING AT WAR ... saying just like soldiers and cops, HE PUTS HIS LIFE ON THE LINE when he goes to work.

Yeezus made the statements to Saturday Night Online this weekend, saying rapping is very dangerous work -- "This is like being a police officer or something ... or like war or something."

"You're literally going out to do your job every day knowing that something could happen to you."

But Kanye says it's not JUST the physical risks (he says he could slip on the stage) ... KW also risks getting his feelings hurt -- because people could watch a show and decide they don't like him.

Yeah, just like a cop or a soldier.