Now they’ve really got bad blood. A clearly emotional Taylor Swift sniped back at Kanye West while accepting the 2016 Grammy Award for Album of the Year for 1989 on Monday, February 15, after the rapper claimed last week that he was the one who brought her to fame.
Swift happily accepted the award and noted that she was the first woman to receive the coveted Grammy honor for the second time ever. She then launched into an impassioned speech pointed, seemingly, at the T.L.O.P. rapper, 38.
“I want to say to all the young women out there—there are going to be people along the way who are going to try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame,” Swift noted as her voice sounded shaky and strained. “But if you just focus on the work and you don’t let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you’re going, you’ll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there. And that will be greatest feeling in the world.”
Female members in the audience, including Swift’s BFF Selena Gomez and Alabama Shakes lead singer Brittany Howard beamed in response.
West first started the tiff last week after unveiling his new album, The Life of Pablo, at the Yeezy Season 3 show at Madison Square Garden in NYC. During the livestreamed event, West name-dropped numerous celebrities in his new album, including Swift. In his track “Famous,” the rapper-designer claimed that he “might have sex” with Swift because he made “that bitch famous.”
Hours later, Swift’s rep went on the record with Us Weekly and said that the pop singer warned West about releasing lyrics with a :misogynistic message.” Contrary to claims, Swift also did not give the rapper any sign-off on the objectionable lyrics, her rep said.
West then took to Twitter and claimed that Swift came up with the idea herself. “3rd thing I called Taylor and had a hour long convo with her about the line and she thought it was funny and gave her blessings,” he tweeted on Friday, February 12. “I’m not even gone take credit for the idea… it’s actually something Taylor came up with. She was having dinner with one of our friends who’s name I will keep out of this and she told him I can’t be mad at Kanye because he made me famous! #FACTS.”
Watch her not-so-subtle response in the video above.
