I’ve been hearing that Kanye West has taken his EPIC ALL CAPS EGO to Twitter, but I hadn’t really been paying attention. Apparently, he spends most of the time tweeting about designers and what to wear and what kind of etiquette the A-Listers should be adhering to. It all seemed to start very, very early Saturday morning when Kanye went on a pretty controlled two-hour Twitter rant/apology/WTH to Taylor Swift. You can read the whole f-cking thing on Kanye’s Twitter, but thankfully, Gizmodo and other sources have already edited this junk into a convenient letter form. Here you go:
Man I love Twitter.
I’ve always been at the mercy of the press, but no more… The media tried to demonize me. They wanted y’all to believe I was a monster in real life so you guys wouldn’t listen or buy my music anymore. I feel like they were waiting for the opportunity to go in all the way on me, and when it came, they beat me to a pulp. Even now a lot of articles start their first two paragraphs about how much of an a–hole I am.
I accept the idea (ideal) that perception is reality. When I say perception is reality I mean whatever you think is the truth is your truth. Some people’s truth is Kanye is racist—It’s not my truth, but I do believe it’s my Karma… walk with me…
With the help of strong will, a lack of empathy, a li’l alcohol, and extremely distasteful and bad timing, I became George Bush over night. How deep is the scar? I bled hard. Cancelled [a] tour with the number one pop star in the world. Closed the doors of my clothing office. Had to let employees go.
For the first time, I felt the impact of my brash actions. People booed when I would go to concerts and the performer mentioned my name. Remember in Anchor Man when Ron Burgandy cursed on air, and the entire city turned on him? But this wasn’t a joke. This was and is my real life.
There are people who don’t dislike me… they absolutely hate me! I was chilling with this white girl, having a conversation, and she cut me off and said, ‘Hold up—I thought you didn’t like us.’ That’s when you realize perception is reality.
I’ve been straying from this subject on Twitter but I have to give it to you guys raw now. If you Google “a–hole,” my face may very well pop up 2 pages into the search. Some people say, ‘Why worry about the haters?’ This is bigger than just the concept of haters. I have a mission in life to bring truth and beauty through my music and the visuals that anchor around it.
The media has successfully diminished the “receptive” audience of (3rd person) KANYE WEST. Taking a 15 second blip, the media have successfully painted the image of the ANGRY BLACK MAN, The King Kong theory. I’m the guy who, at one point, could perform the Justin Timberlake on stage and everyone would be sooo happy that I was there.
People tweeted that they wish I was dead… No listen. They wanted me to die, people. I carry that. I smile and take pictures through that. I wear my scars. It’s almost like I have to wear a suit to juxtapose my image. And I won’t lie: It works.
I wrote a song for Taylor Swift that’s so beautiful, and I want her to have it. If she won’t take it then I’ll perform it for her. She had nothing to do with my issues with award shows. She had no idea what hit her. She’s just a li’l girl with dreams like the rest of us. She deserves the apology more than anyone. Thank you Biz Stone and Evan Williams for creating a platform where we can communicate directly. We’re both artists, and the media and managers are trying to get between us. Everyone wants to capitalize off this in some way. I’m ready to get out of my own way. The ego is overdone… like hoodies.
I know there are family members friends and fans that have literally fought for me. There are people who have named their kids after me—can you imagine that next day in school. Even though I don’t have kids, I am responsible for those who love and represent me and what they have to deal with on a day to day, defending “The American Psycho.”
I watched Justin Timberlake at the Grammies lose every televised award including album of the year, which the Dixie Chicks won. I would have run on stage for Justin that night because Sexy Back (in my mind) was that important, that impactful to our culture.
It’s not about race, America. No one in our position ever stands up and says anything anymore. I have given my awards to other groups multiple times on national TV; they never showed that this past year, during the massacre of Kanye.
Who’s seen the play Wicked? I’ve seen it 4 times! Other than loving the music acting and costumes… it’s my story! The Wicked Witch of the West basically is so convicted to tell her truth [that] when she does it, she is outcast by society and turned wicked.
With new-found humility, who am I to run on stage? I would never ever again in a million years do that. Sorry to let you down. It is distasteful to cut people off as a general rule. What’s the point of dressing tastefully if I’m going to act the complete opposite? Yes I was that guy. A 32 year old child. When I woke up from the crazy nightmare I looked in the mirror and said GROW UP KANYE. I take the responsibility for my actions. I am not a bad person. Even in that moment I was only trying to do good.
But people don’t always need my help. Beyonce didn’t need that. MTV didn’t need that. And Taylor and her family, friends, and fans definitely didn’t want or need that.
These aren’t regular tweets… this is stream of consciousness… I want you guys to know and feel where my head is at… It feels like the movie Heat, when you wanted Deniro to make it… You want the bad guy to make it.
These tweets have no manager, no publicist, no grammar checking [ed: they do now.]… this is raw. Humanity and Empathy are two of the four principles at facebook. Those were the two principles I was missing on that evening.
Why are there so many tweets? Well, this isn’t a simple subject. There are layers to this beyond me running on stage. You’ve got the top layer: Kanye’s rude! (If I speak in 3rd person it’s because I’m quoting people; sometimes I forget to put [in] the quotations. You know my grammar.) You’ve got a layer of order… this is how things are supposed to go, this is how it’s always been. etc; you’ve got a layer of-what is [it], reality? You really want this guy to die over an award show? Wooooooow… You’ve got the Media play… Who benefitted off of the moment? MTV? JAY LENO? BEYONCE? ALL FORMS OF MEDIA? TAYLOR? KANYE WEST? Who gained? Who lost?
Walk with me people… let’s break this down for real now. I might get in trouble again. WHO BENEFITED, FOR REAL, PEOPLE? A year later where do we stand?
There’s a layer of ‘hey Kanye said what I was thinking.’ There’s a layer of… Entertainment: We are entertainers and this is only TV, not the War. Why was it made into such a race issue? Taylor loves rap music… I love country music. TAYLOR LOVES RAP MUSIC… I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC. When I write songs like Heartless, I always say “is this melody good enough to be a country song or a broadway song?”
I’ve hurt, I’ve bled, I’ve learned. I only want to do good. I am passionate. I am human. I am real.
I wish I could meet every hater. I wish I could talk to every hater face to face, and change their opinion of me, one conversation at a time. I wish they all knew how much I really cared about music and pop culture and art and people’s feelings. I wish they could accept that I’ve grown and only want to do good for the world. I want to help as many people as I can. I want to help starting with the music and ending with the smile. I want to win their hearts back so I can continue to bring my take on culture to the masses with a clean opinion.
It starts with this: I’m sorry Taylor.
[Kanye’s epic Twitter apology, via Gizmodo]
You know the weird thing? I totally understood most of this. And I don’t think Kanye was drunk (but maybe a little stoned?), and I know what point the was trying to make: that he was vilified for making Taylor Swift cry, and though he deserved some of the criticism, it got overblown, and maybe some of that had to do with the big bad black guy making a little white girl cry. Of course, I’m not sure if he’s really making his point by comparing himself with: DeNiro in Heat, The Wicked Witch, Ron Burgundy and Patrick Bateman from American Psycho. And of course, this “apology” is still all about Kanye’s EGO, despite my new favorite quote, “The ego is overdone… like hoodies.” Words to live by, bitches. Trending #ITSAPROCESS right now.
If it was the first (or fifth) time it would have been a quick joke, but this is part of a pattern. With an epic line of excuses.
Plus it was a fun meme for a day or two. I was a fan of both, but gave up on him after watching a couple interviews.
she cried? seriously?
If Kayne really wants to know about getting crucified by the media and getting death threats… he should ask Natalie Maines (Dixie Chick) how much hate she is still getting over her verbal moment of idiocy.
Everyone says things that are regretful. Words that they would give anything to take back. But to destroy that persons life, who had moment of verbal diarrhea, is taking it too far.
Yes, he made Taylor Swift cry that night back stage. He sh*t all over her moment on Live TV. But he should have apologize to her personally then. Not a year later on Twitter.
Had Natalie Maines just apologized years ago for making her statement, FOX News would not have had the power to destroyed her career. And still dragging that statement out to beat up on a girl, when they are bored.
(And please do not defend Bush to me. He was then and still is dumb. But see that is my opinion. 🙂 If you love him, more power to you.)
I am not saying you don’t have the right to state your opinion in public. But one needs to realize others do not feel it. And the mob mentality will take over trying to destroy your life for having a different opinion than theirs.
So I still have my Kayne CD (Gold Digger!) and my Dixie Chicks’s CD’s. Along with Taylor. So even if Kayne and Natalie said something stupid. It did not effect me loving their music. And paying to buy it.
Well, he did sing “I got a big ego haha, such a big ego…”
I hope this is part of his 12-step program, but somehow I doubt it.
Kanye says
All of the sudden “He’s George Bush”
But he cant be because
“George Bush hates black people”
Remember?
This is not the first time he has acted up at award shows. Besides his infamous “George Bush hates black people” (which had nothing to do with Hurricane Katrina)there was some award show in Europe where he got mad because he didn’t win. He is like a child. It’s ok to be proud of your work, but don’t act like you are God’s gift to man. The reason Taylor Swift is much popular than he is because the girl is humble and down to earth and always reaching out to her fans. Take some lessons from Taylor, Kanye.
aw, poor girl. I didn’t know she actually was so upset she cried.
I like the Dixie Chicks.
“Because Sexy Back was that important to our culture.”
W.T.F.????
Stone-cold crazy.
if you don’t want to be crucified, don’t be on the cover of “Rolling Stone” wearing a crown of thorns. Ass.
In my opinion, the similarities between Kanye & Natalie are slim.
For starters, I don’t think Natalie’s comment was idiocy (far from it). Secondly, To my knowledge, she has never apologized. I could be wrong but I sure hope she didn’t. And above all, her career wasn’t destroyed. In fact, she has a Grammy about the whole thing to prove it. In retrospect, I get what you’re saying & I could see some similarities but I think overall that the circumstances were different. Kanye has a record of being a douche & even then it’s not really that which I think bothers people the most but it’s how he goes about it & his apologies that are more for his benefit then anyone else.
MSat: I agree. Sexy back? Are you effing kidding me?!
Of FFS. This guy is the king of all douchebag assholes. I wish he would STFU. It has nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with a great big asshat picking on a meek little girl to take the spotlight and make his point. Just…wrong.
I think Kanye’s apology was deep, and meaningful. I love his music, and if Taylor has forgiven him, then everyone else needs to chill the f**k out! I love how everyone becomes all holier-than-thou when it’s not them being villified. The Dixie Chicks did not deserve what happened to them, and niether did Kanye.-(well maybe a little) We have to let this go now!! Kayne’s alright in my book. Welcome back, Mr. West!!
He is so damn tiresome. They both need to gtfo.
Taylor Swift needs to be thanking Kanye because the amount of pity awards and attention she got after wards was astronomical.
Good for him. I appreciate his words.
Oh Kanye… This man truly missed out on his real calling in life. He’s a natural born comedian! Sexy back is important to our culture? Egos are like hoodies? Standing up for art? *side eye at Beyonce and her leotards* Haha, Kanye belongs on comedy central. Speaking of which, South Park, please do another Kanye episode!
I used to get annoyed with his extreme ego and unreal levels of verbal douchery. But, now, I almost love him. He’s so fun to make fun of! I hope he hangs around for awhile!
anacoluthia? he’s soaking in it!
I read the whole “letter” and thought it was really articulate and extremely sincere. It may seem strange that he made so many random references to pop culture, but understand the man is a very talented rapper and that’s how he makes his living; rap is metaphors, similes, puns. And really when you think about it, his analogies help you understand the deeper layer of what he’s trying to say.
I always figured he was a huge douche, but after reading that I feel differently about him. And I am NOT an impressionable person, generally.
To Douchye – Nobody thinks you’re racist, Idiot. They just think you’re full of $hit and excuses. Which you keep on proving, over and over again.
If you’re so tuned in to “truth through music” or whatever, then quit using the autotune to make you sing on key.
And effing look up the real definition of “juxtapose”. It has nothing to do with wearing a suit.
I love how he cries racism, vehemently, and yet still feels the need to distinguish whether he is talking to a ‘white girl’ or a ‘black girl’.
Gee Kanye, been out of the spotlight for awhile and looking for a way back in…
Must have been a very bad year for you, no on paying any attention to you for you to want to ride this horse again.
Totally self involved.
Totally self serving.
Myopic moron.
@aenflex, i think he had to distinguish that it was a white girl to make the point that she didn’t think he liked white girls.
@captaine, i TOTALLY agree with you. I am pretty objective about musicians, and have nothing against Taylor Swift, but half of the awards she wins and half of her publicity is due to everyone knowing that Kanye humiliated her on national TV…because she is not the best songstress at all, and she is a so-so singer. But people see this cute, innocent blonde teen who got embrassed by a big black egotistical male rapper and out comes the waves of sympathy and leniency.
I like the apology…should’ve been done sooner and maybe privately, but it sounds like Kanye, it doesn’t sound artificial like it was made just as a pr-stunt. it sounds real. i think the whole thing was blown out of proportion anyway
Agree conando both are tiresome and need to disappear. Wasn’t Kanye going to get into fashion awhile back. Oh for the days when musicians were cool and hip; now they are just media whoring douches – most anyway.
Kanye West is insane. A two-hour apology rant? That’s, like, a symptom of mental illness.
This guy just needs to learn the meaning of the word “humility”. It doesn’t matter if he’s sincerely apologizing, it’s still all about him and his god-given mission. Get over yourself, Kanye!
To me, if I were to rewrite Kanye’s apology as an academic text (bear with me), the thesis would be: Kanye West’s main points in this apology letter are as follows; while he understands that what he did to Taylor Swift was disrespectful and feels pity for her, he still maintains that his actions were justifiable and that some records are legitimately better than others, thus warranting a “stage rush” when a different record receives an award. However, due to the ramifications of such actions, he would refrain from “stage rushing” in the future.
There we go. So, basically, he is the biggest douche in the universe, taking the crown away from that “Crossing Over” dude.
((For those fellow university lifers/academic geeks, yeah, I should have had a “:” instead of a “;”)) 🙂
Kanye–If you can dish it out, you better be able to take it. Why now? Are you aching for the publicity?
I gotcha Kanye – truthfully I’m indifferent. I don’t think you or Taylor are the end-all-be-all of our world right now, and anyone that takes entertainment that seriously needs to check themselves. It is what it is. Do good and good will come, lead by the example you are trying so hard to get us all to see/believe/live.
i still think that it was a set-up, the whole vma scene.. it’s a scheme to make beyonce looks like an angel.. i hate the video “single ladies” it didnt deserve any awards because the choreography sucks and it was in black and white.. and beyonce was wearing a very lewd attire in the video. like seriously, she’s like an idol especially to teenagers, thats not a good example to show teenager, prancing around in her bikini-like attire and almnost showing her vagina with that tight v shaped attire..
britney’s womanizer deserves to win..
Hey, now…. SexyBack changed MY LIFE. I used to smoke crack and poop in old shoe boxes until I heard Justin Timberlake singing
“Come here girl
Go ahead, be gone with it
Come to the back
Go ahead, be gone with it
VIP
Go ahead, be gone with it
Drinks on me
Go ahead, be gone with it”
All of a sudden, my perspective changed and I knew I could poop in a port-a-potty or maybe even a real toilet someday. THANK YOU JUSTIN I LOVE YOU.
Did Taylor give him a cut of all the extra sales she got out of this trainwreck?
@aenflux.
SO true! Am sick of AutoTune, then people winning award after award for their music. What music? Just give the award to the frekkin’ computer!
Johanna, Natalie did apologize shortly after her statement. She later took it back.
My problem in’t with what she said (I think she can say whatever she wants, obviously, just like people can choose to not buy her CDs if they disagree), but that she made an apology that she apparently didn’t mean and then rescinded it when anti-Bush sentiment was higher and she had a new CD coming out. stick to your guns, no matter what you believe.
I think Kanye is different because he didn’t just state an opinion, he made a scene and was rude.
There is something seriously missing in this guy.
He thinks the world only exists because of him. I’ll bet if he falls asleep we all blink out of existance for awhile. Like when he puts a book down to go to the bathroom. Although I can’t picture him with a book. How about if he pauses a dvd.
Dear Kanye,
Stop. Stop with this apologizing nonsense. If you are really feeling down about the whole thing, stop obsessing and move on. You apologized once, and that is enough. ‘Cause it wasn’t a big deal.
You don’t need to worry about people on the internet.
You made me laugh when I saw the whole thing on the news shows. It was pretty funny. Because, all of those awards shows are a joke. Most videos and music suck crap anyways, and these lame, dime-a-dozen awards shows are nothing but a celebration of mediocrity (and sometimes nepotism —> i.e. gwyneth’s oscar win).
So, just relax Kanye. “I’ma let you finish…” is a great meme. You interrupting “Cookie-Cutter, Dime-a-Dozen Swift” is the greatest thing that ever happened to her and her career. She should be calling you every day to say “Thanks”. Now stop tweeting and start making some good dance club/work out tunes. Thanks.
Read his apology rant *paused for a minute*
Nope..he is still a douche.
@Cletus – Thank you for the funniest thing I’ve read all day. Oh man, that’s comedy gold. <3
He apologized to her on Jay Leno, after her interview on the View, and on his blog a year ago. He is trying to win back the crazies that got all mad about him dissing Taylor. (OR really showing he is a good person) They were just trying to find a reason to come after him and it was something that the media could use to make money.
Also big scarey black man made the little white girl cry. She should have tougher skin and told people to chill out. Frankley she is worse than Kanye. He got called the n-word, had death threats, and had to let go of people that were working on his fashion line.
In this economy, losing a job is horrible. She knew he was getting attacked hard, cause her little fans were sending her tweets calling him the n-word. Saying he needed to die.
She did not say anything. It is about her ego. He said he wrote a song for her. He said if she does not sing it he will. Either way it will show she is a pitifull writer and Kanye is brilliant. If she was smart she would do it, but her handlers are saying she is perfect as is. Taylor will not be selling like she is now in five years and Kanye will still be banging it out.
Give me Adele, M.I.A, Jasmine Sullivan, and Chrisette Michelle. Real singers. It is a tween surge in music right now and it will fade out, soon enough.
(((These young entertainers are just spoiled little rich kids that have a heart attack if someone says they are not perfect.)))
Jay Leno’s wack ass mentioned the man’s deceased Mother. How sick. His grandma passed away not too long after his Mother.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYqYB1UpAQQ&feature=related
Amy:
September 5th, 2010 at 11:50 am This is not the first time he has acted up at award shows. Besides his infamous “George Bush hates black people” (which had nothing to do with Hurricane Katrina)there was some award show in Europe where he got mad because he didn’t win. He is like a child. It’s ok to be proud of your work, but don’t act like you are God’s gift to man. The reason Taylor Swift is much popular than he is because the girl is humble and down to earth and always reaching out to her fans. Take some lessons from Taylor, Kanye.
You are insane if you think that if it were white people involved in Katrina, that Bush would have just sat back. It was cause those folks were black. People had beautiful homes they owned out right in New Orleans and Mrs. Bush said that living in those stadiums was probably the best living they have ever had.
As far as Taylor goes she will be gone in five years and the European award thing was four to five years ago. Like you are so perfect. Like you do not make mistakes.
Wake the hell up Amy. It is about race. You want to ignore it cause you want to ignore your own bigotry.
I like Kanye and think it was sad that he really got villified for what he said. Sure it was dumb and waaay off base, but I still don’t think he has a mean bone in his body, nor do I think he did what he did because he is a malicious human being. He just does really dumb thing sometimes, like we all do, one way or another. And frankly, I’d still rather hang out with him for a day over Taylor, who I’m sure is a sweet kid, but kanye, i can imagine having a really fun day, staying up all night gabbing about all kinds of things, running around jumping in water fountains, you know…
He may be different, he may be kinda wierd sometimes, but something tells me he’d be a good friend to have. which is a good thing. Good friends are hard to find.
Plus, note to Planet Earth: guys do really dumb sh** sometimes. Get over it. That’s what they do.
“She should have tougher skin and told people to chill out. Frankley she is worse than Kanye.”
Oh, Sans. That’s just pathetic.
HIS behaviour caused his problems. He is a rude, obnoxious, conceited jackass. And he has delusions of grandeur.
If you won’t see that he brought it on himself, then I guess have fun navel-gazing and rant-whining with Kanye.
Gayfish
So has Beyonce come out swinging for Kanye after he so gallantly defended her honour?
I wonder if there’s a website where all the celebrities go to criticise everyone who criticises them, or do they just anonymously come on to sites like this to argue with their detractors?
Totally epic, and totally too much. I couldn’t even read 1/3 of it without my eyes glazing over …
This wasn’t an “epic apology”.
This was an epic “Wahhh! Look what I’ve had to put up with ’cause I was a rude prick”.
There was very little that actually addressed WHAT he did and expressing remorse for it, and MUCH more that addressed what the effects on him have been.
haven’t we done this before? like, i am having dejavu all over again. was it kanye who said this all before? or was it john mayer? or was it chris brown?
i could read it word for word until i got to “there are people who don’t like me”, then i started skimming the next few lines, and then gave up on this entirely.
Kaiser, I think you will possibly get a kick out of these CNN blog posts, if they aren’t already on your radar, and if it’s not already irrevelant, which it is.
The article was on cnn.com. Only one Kanye supporter keeps replying calling every naysayer “fat.”
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/06/kanye-west-im-sorry-taylor/#comment-293327e
Some of you guys actually read it?
Sans, I agree with so much of what you said. This is not the first time he apologized. He did the same time it happened.
This is not just about her anyway. He took it too far jumping on stage, he knows that. But death threats? That’s beyond too far and far too pathetic. I’m not a fan of Taylor, don’t hate her but I’m not a fan, and I honestly think all the “poor taylor” crap was a bit much after a while. It was horrible that it happened but it was not the worth the words used to call for another person’s death.
Didnt bother reading any of his crap. I’m personally not a fan of Taylor (never heard any of her music) but she has most likely been dreaming about that day since she started singing and then a douche like Kanye thinks it’s ok to steal that moment away from her? No, that’s not ok and no fake ass apology will make up for it. He has scarred that girl’s memory of that moment for life. Way to go douche.
LMAO @ Liana’s comment.
Perfection!
Hey Kanye; I’mma let you finish your twitter apology, but John Mayar had the best twitter apology of all time.