Remember that brief moment where it seemed like Kanye West and Taylor Swift were finally going to be friends? She introduced him at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards and they even hugged on stage. Unfortunately, this potential friendship was short-lived, ending as soon as he dropped The Life Of Pablo and included a diss directed at Swift. (In the song, he declares, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / I made that b*tch famous.") Although it spurred plenty of backlash, West defended his song "Famous" and the incident that spurred its lyrics at his concert in the Philippines on Saturday. He told the crowd,
This is a song that broke the writer's block for me, because it's something I wanted to say so bad that they told me I couldn't say. That night, when I went on the stage was the beginning of the end of my life. Lady Gaga canceled the tour the next day. You know what night I'm talking about. When I just said what everybody else was thinking. So if I get in trouble for saying the truth, what's being said the rest of the time?
The night West is referencing is the 2009 MTV VMAs, where he stormed the stage, stole the microphone from Swift, and declared that Beyoncé had the best video of all time. Sorry, Yeezy, but I'm not buying this explanation. I don't think he was saying "what everybody else was thinking" — in that moment or in the song. Sure, it's been seven years since then, so I don't want to dwell on it, but West really did steal Swift's thunder during a celebratory time that belonged to her. If he had a differing opinion about who the winner should be, why not write about it later? Why rudely barge on stage?
Check out him defending "Famous" in the video below, which was found by E! Online.
West also told the crowd, "I had to fight everyday of my life when the whole world turned against me for saying out loud what everyone else felt. But that's the job of an artist — of a true artist." Again, I'm not buying it. I believe there's a difference between being artistic and being insensitive. Also, the fact that he calls Swift a "b*tch" is not OK — at all.
While this is the first time he spoke out about the track in-person, West previously defended "Famous" in a series of tweets. West claimed that Swift actually helped him with the lyrics and that she approved of the song. Meanwhile, Swift's rep says this never happened. It becomes a case of "he said"/"she said," although honestly, what he said is downright offensive.
I'm all for West expressing his artistry, but not so much at the expense of someone else — especially someone who put an effort into trying to make amends. Swift didn't have to present his award at last year's VMAs, but it seemed like she was ready to bury the hatchet. Unfortunately, the more West opens his mouth, the more he makes this whole situation worse.
