Kanye West apologizes to Taylor Swift

Before the MTV Video Music Awards even came to an end, rap star Kanye West had taken to his blog and issued an ALL-CAPS apology to country star Taylor Swift and her mother. "I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would've said," Kanye wrote in his explanation for interrupting Swift's VMA win.

Moments after Swift won the MTV VMA for best female video for "You Belong With Me,"  West appeared onstage and interrupted her speech. Swift was in the midst of talking about the difficulty country artists face in crossing over on MTV when West declared that the award should have gone to Beyoncé for her "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." 

Throughout the remainder of the night, the VMA crowd at New York's Radio City Music Hall let West hear it, booing loudly anytime his name was mentioned. Pink, a performer on the telecast, took to her Twitter, and blasted Kanye -- its R-rated language prevents us from linking to it. 

West apparently didn't stay to see the awards through, and wrote on his blog that he watched the rest of the show "at the crib." "I'm sooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mom," West wrote. He also took a moment to praise Swift, and wrote that he likes "the lyrics about being a cheerleader and she's in the bleachers."

He continued, "I'm in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment!" He added that Beyoncé's video remains "the best of the decade," and he apologized to his fans for letting them down.

West also tried to explain his reasons for interrupting Swift. He wrote: "Everybody wanna boooo me but I'm a fan of real pop cuture!!! ... I gave my awards to OutKast when they deserved it over me ... that's what it is." At the 2007 BET Awards, West attempted to give his trophy to OutKast's Big Boi and rap act UGK for their "International Player's Anthem."

Swift eventually did get a chance to give her acceptance speech. When Beyoncé won video of the year, she gracefully noted that she'd had her share of award-show moments, and called Swift back onstage.

This wasn't the first time West has had an award show outburst. He interrupted the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards when he lost to Simian and claimed his clip should have won. In 2005, West noted that he would "have a problem" if he didn't win the Grammy for album of the year. He didn't win.

Shortly after posting his apology to Swift, West took a moment to commend tennis star Serena Williams, who also came under criticism this weekend in New York for an outburst at the U.S. Open.

--Todd Martens

Top photo: Kanye West and Taylor Swift / Associated Press
Middle photo: Screenshot of Kanye West's apology.

Comments

[Tab Cocovillea]

West should be banned from attending future shows. He may act like an even more spoiled version of Little Richard, but he hasn't earned the right to put the spotlight on himself.

[Leave the business]

kanye......say goodbye to your dwindling career. Its time for people to come to their senses and not purchase/support scumbags like this.

[Sergio]

He should not be allowed to any award shows this is not the first or last time mr west disrespects other artist and the audience with his ignorance.

[Kevin Lin]

Kanye really needs to watch what he says or does...I've already had enough of the Chris Brown controversy...so much stupid controversy and criticism recently...I wish we can put an end to all doubt so that this world will be a better place to live in

[Mr. Chipmunks]

He's been eating too much "Fish Sdick" LOL

[Lorraine]

What a creep - still defending his OPINION, which someone needs to tell Kanye West is only his opinion - that Beyonce should be the sole winner of every stinking award all of the time and no one else can win a stinking thing except Beyonce, Beyonce, Beyonce. How disrespectful to Beyonce, too, Kanye - you need to apologize to her while you're at it.

The PEOPLE voted. The people buy Taylor's music and love her video's. No disrespect to you or Beyonce - but wake up, dude. You got no talent and no right to take away another person's rightfully won awards - earned by virtue of the people voting for them. What a loser Kanye West is.

[Kevin]

It is a sad day when an uncontrolled little boy cannot sit in his seat and behave. Who does Kanye think he is? I have no respect for an individual who cannot maintain himself long enough to think. He's being "real"? Whatever, Taylor rocks and why she's not as BIG as Beyonce she deserved the award given to her. Obviously she deserved it more than Beyonce or she would have not be awarded it. I'd like to slap the spit out of Kanye's mouth.

[lakerstyle]

Wait...I'm I the only one who smells something fishy???

During Kanye rant the camera on trained on Beyonce for reaction. Also when Beyonce wins Taylor Swift just happens to be off stage to redo her speech.

MTV wants ratings. Rappers like being bad boys. Taylor Swift's agents want her client to be a much pub as possible...Just a thought.

[patroklos]

I don't blame Kanye. I blame the Los Angeles Times and publications like it, who no longer write music criticism. The Times has been one of Kanye's greatest advocates for years now, and they are simply too afraid to speak the truth about Kanye because he moves so many units. This man is not a genius. He's not even a talent. The emperor has no clothes, but as long as the press keeps slavishly praising his crap (yes his CRAP) how can anyone feign surprise over his twisted, bloated ego?

[Kristen]

West, I think you are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo disrespectful and sorry, Swift is such a young a beautiful talented singer and she deserved to have her speech. I think you are rude and ignorant person. YOU RUINED HER MOMENT! When things dont go your way you cry like a baby!!! You deserved to be booooooooed and you will always be boooooed to me...I used to be some what of a fan of yours!!! You are a horrible person for ruining that little girls night!!!

[chilover6]

Kanye your apology is a waste of time.Why? Because you do this drama queen scene every awards show! Thank god Beyonce has some class! Poor Taylor looked like she got slapped in the face- but she handled herself beautifully too.Kanye- I used to admire you as an artist. Why don't you just stick with to the music and get off your prima donna soapbox!

[steph]

Everyone already knows how tactless and rude Kanye is, whatever, rollin my eyes. What's cool is little Miss Taylor Swift comes out smelling like a rose, so she'll probably blow up even more than before this.

[Ceasar]

This was one of the biggest moments of Taylors career and you ruined it Kanye. There was absolutely no reason for you to do that. You are not a child no more. You are no artist. You are a joke. MTV should revoke your pass into any of their events. You are not sorry. This isn't the first time you do this. You don't deserve any attention. Loser.

[Jennifer Nichols]

That wasn't even a true apology. He apologized yet continued to say how beyonces video is still better. I believe kayne should be banned from the music industry. He's a disgrace to our country.

[tom]

has anyone noticed that kanye took that apology down from his blog already?!?

[cody]

my post wasnt put up :( FML

[Reality Check]

So I watched it a few times and I gotta say that he was "Trying" to be respectful to Taylor Swift when he took the mic. He said his piece, gave the mic back, and dipped. The real Victim was Taylor Swift though...The guy chose to make his point by walking all over her like she wasn't even there. Seeing her standing there as invalidated as she was, almost brought a tear to my eye. That poor girl couldn't even find words after being walked all over. In my opinion, I think Beyonce dancing around in a white room is not grounds for the best female music video. Let alone the best of the year. But don't you think that giving her the award for BOTH would have been redundant? Kanye jumped to conclusions before he actually saw that his "personal" choice actually won the night. In turn he actually ended up looking like a total fool. His apology should have had nothing to do with what his opinion was, but rather the way he left that poor girl speechless and downtrodden. Bad show Kanye.

[TJ]

Kanye West is ten times the artist Taylor Swift will ever be. Mr. West's music will be remember for years to come. Swift? Just another pop singing whore that'll be quickly forgotten over the next 2-3 years.

This will probably be the high point of her career.

[JB]

Kanye..if you have the balls to show up at Jay Leno's show...maybe you should sing the song you wrote for yourself..."HEARTLESS"! Then I hope the audience boo's your ass off the show. Anyone going to the Show? Don't forget the bucket of tomatoes!

[DONNA FREEMAN]

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. YOU'RE A JERK KANYE, AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT. AND IF I WAS TAYLOR SWIFT, I WOULDN'T EXCEPT IT, AND IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD GO GET SOME COUNCILING. YOU'RE MAMA IS TURNING OVER IN HER GRAVE. THIS IS NOT HOW SHE WOULD WANT YOU TO ACT. I KNOW SHE THOUGHT SHE RAISED YOU BETTER. AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER. IT MAKES YOUR MAMA LOOK BAD.

[Stephen]

The best thing to do is make Kanye West a nobody and broke. Don't buy his music or go to his concerts. He likes to be called Gayfish now in honor of his love for fishsticks!

[rachel]

he is beyond ridiculous. as if anyone cares what he says anyway. the fact that he is so arrogant to even think it's ok for him to take the mic away from ANYONE on stage when it just simply isn't his turn, is ludacris.

i think the vma's are going downhill each year. no one really cares anymore, especially with d-bags like kayne around.

[Lilly]

Wait...where's the apology? Because that didn't really sounds like one to me.

[Olden Atwoody]

Idiot. Someone show that fool the Shift Ky, and then the Exit Door from the music industry.

[carlos]

kanye = racist