Reflecting on Taylor Swift and Kanye West’s MTV VMAs Feud a Decade and a Half Later
During her Album of the Year acceptance speech at the 2016 Grammys, Swift addressed the song and explained that the issue was larger than just the lyric, considering her history with West.
In a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone, she revealed that reconnecting with West after the 2009 VMAs incident was a way to heal some childhood rejection and earn his respect.
However, the 2015 VMAs brought a new twist. Despite West calling Swift “gracious” for presenting him with the award, he also made remarks that made her feel uncomfortable. She described feeling a “chill” in her body upon hearing his comments.
Swift felt blindsided by West’s two-faced behavior, especially after he tried to reconcile by sending her flowers. The incident made her realize that she didn’t want to be on bad terms with him again, but everything changed when she heard “Famous.”
After a conversation with West where he seemed respectful, Swift felt deceived upon hearing the song and decided to cut ties with him for good to maintain honesty in their relationship.