MTV VMAs 2016: Kanye West brings up Taylor Swift feud in lengthy speech
Kanye West made a highly anticipated appearance on stage at the 2016 MTV VMAs.
The rapper, who announced last year that he would be running for president in 2020, kept his speech long again this year -- he also kept his speech rather West-centered again, though he referenced Taylor Swift and several other stars.
“I am ... I am Kanye West and that feels really great to say, especially this year. I came here to present my new video but before I do that, I’m a talk,” he promised.
And talk he did. The rapper spoke for approximately four minutes, admitting that he would not be upset if “Famous” lost to Beyonce: “I’m always wishing for Beyonce to win.”
He then talked about his video for “Famous,” and laughed at himself.
“The audacity to put Anna Wintour next to Donald Trump -- I mean, I put Ray J in there bro,” he chuckled. “This is fame, bro. Like -- I see you, Amber.” The camera panned to his ex-girlfriend, Amber Rose, who smiled at the name-check, as did his wife, Kim Kardashian West.
“We came over in the same boat and now we all in the same bed,” he said. West then talked about how 22 people were murdered in Chicago. As the camera panned to the audience, Diddy appeared to be confused.
The rapper began to talk about his infamous feud with Swift and said, “I love y’all -- that’s why I called her,” as the audience cheered. West has always maintained that he called Swift before he released his song that included the lyrics “I made that b***h famous” about Swift, and in July, his wife, Kardashian West released a recording of the phone call in which Swift appears to give West her blessing.
West went back to talking about people dying and mentioned a fan who came up to him whose three friends died. “If you feel like you see people dying right next to you, you might feel like what’s the point? Like you know, life is like worthless, in a way,” pondered West.
West then talked about his role models: “My role models are artist-merchants. Less than 10 I can name in history. Truman, Ford, Hughes, Disney, Jobs, West.”
The rapper then said he was standing in front of “the future,” who he said was in the hands of Chance the Rapper. “We are undeniably the influence, the thought leaders,” added West.
Finally, he wrapped up his speech and threw to an extremely sexual fitness-themed video for his song “Fade” with model Teyana Taylor wearing a thong bodysuit.