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

[moe]

pretty sure Taylor Swift is 19, far too young to be insulted by Kanye West, she has so much more ahead of her....No worries Kanye's Career is behind him.

[E Z]

Just another spoiled brat.... that thinks he's better than he really is.... what a loser. Didn't like him before this incident... like him even less now. It will be interesting to see if our spineless kids and his fans have the brains to react by not attending his concerts or buying any of his merchandise.

[Byrge]

What a pecker head!

[JJ]

Kanye really blew it this time. Not only did he make a complete fool of himself, but he ruined that poor girl's FIRST big memory of the VMA awards forever. Beyonce may have saved some semblance of the experience for Swift, I hope, but it probably just isn't the same. Kanye should be banned from all music awards ceremonies from now on. What a punk-ass.

[JJ]

Kanye has closed registrations to his blog because he's been getting so blasted over this ordeal. Good! There are some people defending this behavior. I suppose if this were his first outburst MAYBE we could cut him some slack, but this isn't. He's shown in the past that he's a self centered meat head who doesn't care about any opinions but his own. I hope he's ashamed of himself and learned a lesson, but somehow I doubt he has. It's just a matter of time before the next outburst comes flying out of Kanye's big mouth.

[Debbie Deb]

I am a really big fan of Hip Hop music. I barely can tell you who sings Country music. Until the MTV awards show I could not tell you who Taylor Swift was. Reguardless of that, she should have been showed more respect than that. I have never been a major fan of Kanye West in the past, hell in my eyes the only thing he's good for is filling in a spot on someone elses song. None of his own work is worth listening to, I felt this way before this incident and I feel even more stongly about it now. At this point I don't even think I'm comfortable listening to another artists song that features the Bas*ard. So if I was an artist I would take heed to this and not feature this wash-up in ANYTHING else. He's lost his career, don't let yours go down with him.

[em@y]

hopefully this is just a minor setback and will all go away soon

[Brad]

"Much Respect" only counts if your actions reflect it. I can't believe that anyone would pay a dime to see Kanye West in concert or buy any of his work. He needs a major reality check. What an anal orafice ! Taylor deserves better, security should have jumped him and escorted him out like the gangsta he is.
Beyonce was nominated and she is an excellent artist, but she has won awards in the past and didn't win this one. So what. It's someone elses turn.

[jdub]

Kayne is and always has been an embarrassment to Chicago. Leave us out of your songs, don't claim us. We don't belong to you and you don't belong to us.
You belong in L.A. with the other whiny b's. Truly disrespectful and so full of yourself. Play it off that people who can't stand you are haters, but the real story is gifts were wasted on you.

[Robert Short]

Kanye is a real turd of a human being. Here he is a grown man and he wants to jump on stage and shatter the moment of 17 year old kid. What a waste of carbon and oxygen. Even when he apologized he still claimed Beyonce's video was better. Kanye should come to my house so I can b1tch slap him like he deserves. Kanye they should make a christmas ornament out of you so you can hang from a tree at my house.

[janean]

I dont think kanye was wrong i personally love beyonce and I think taylor suck!!!!!! I love kanye for having the heart to speak his mind!

[janean]

Why is everybody mad at kanye........ it is what it is!!!! most of the people watching the vma awards should have thought the same way !!!! thank you kanye for speaking your mind!!!!!!!!!!!! much love to kanye !!!!!!!!!!!

[KAnye TRU Fan]

dont come around here dissin my ye. jus b/c he kept it real. oky so mayb the truth hurts but wwhat wolud this wrld be without pain? taylor is 19 and she chosed to be in this industrty and these are some of tthe trials and tribulation she or anyone else would face.

[b]

kanye = no class

[TKKVids]

Look at kanye west disses taylor swift spoof

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1RXlJbrIJo

[chaice]

he is fake... this little apology is fake... and he's a grown man and he knew exactly wat he was doing when he approached that 17/18 year old and took the mic from her.... shouldve thought about this before you did it buddy.....

[Peter]

He is a jerk he can never replace what he took from her and Beyonce could barely conceal her delight. The inviting Taylor up just pr.
Taylor Swift class act

[jagstar]

for u to say kanye is a bad artist u have to be a liar or a hater yes what he did was out of line & maybe he can not think he could go on leno & everything would be better but he is still probably the best lyrist of our time despite weezy & don't lie to urself that this would affect sales

[Sara Paschall]

Kanye just wants attention, no one shows t to him cause his work sucks

[kimberly]

kayne west is a jerk for that but that was a nice appoligy

[Taylor Swift tickets]

Thats a great man and its a nice news

[jimmy]

This was the rudest, most unprofessional display of a so called professional entertainer ever imaginable. He obviuosly was racially motivated and out of control. How he was allowed back to an awards episode on MTV after his first outburst is beyond me. He should be banned from any further chances to re-inact his mis-behavior since he has no respest for other performers, the viewing audience, or MTV. His so-called apology was just an attempt to save his failing career after making an ass out of himself and I'm sure it totally self-motivated and bogus. Everyone who saw this, regardless of ethnicity, were appauled and have lost whatever, if any, respect for that guy. In the words of a now popular hip-hop song, "HE'S A JERK"!!!!!!

[nancy]

I think what kayne west did was ridiculous. Really, your a grown man. I wonder how he will feel if someone interrupt him. I see why people say kanye west like to speak out alot and he is very political. I think he should really get a reality check. He is not a teenager no more he is a grown man. Really, i am suprise taylor swift took so easily and didn't say anything. But that was just plan rude. I would of. Also, for beyonce being so graceful for letting taylor swift speak was very nice. At least some singer realize what right and wrong. Kanye west should just become a political speaker and not a singer if he can't handle the results at all.

[Taylor]

I felt soo bad for Taylor when that happened. It really wasnt fair for Kanye West to do that. If he had a problem with her winning he should've made a contest of his own and let Beyonce win. I personally think Taylor is a brilliant pop singer. She especially has all the teenagers pumping! I love her stuff too! I get it all from www.kazaa.com

[emtard smash!]

i'm sorry, but reading his "apology" it makes me think he was sitting there laughing the whole way through it. his manager or something probably MADE him right it & he was probably bitching the whole way through.

i hate kanye west, he's so egotistical & ridiculous. who would ever think of doing something like that?