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What was Kanye thinking?

Staff Reporter | Posted September 14, 2009 9:04 AM

Kanye West literally stole the show at the VMAs Sunday night, and a lot of people are upset about it.

Not long after Taylor Swift took the stage at New York's Radio City Music Hall to accept the award for best female video, West burst on stage himself and took the mic from Swift to make his own statement.

"Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'll let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time," West said. "One of the best videos of all time!"

The MTV feed of the mic confrontation was not shown on the air, but West's remarks were aired as a stunned audience, including Beyoncé, looked on in shock.

West was reportedly told to leave the VMAs after his outburst, and Beyoncé and Swift each had their moments in the sun. Knowles was selected for the top award of best video for her wildly popular "Single Ladies" hit. Knowles used the occasion to turn the mic over to Swift to finish her speech, which had been interrupted by West.

Several presenters made reference to West's outburst during the show and West's name was booed when P. Diddy mentioned it later in the program.

The controversy threatened to overshadow Madonna's personal tribute to Michael Jackson, which opened the show, and Michael's sister Janet's tribute performance of "Scream" during the opening number.

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Articles written by a Staff Reporter are unsigned reports from a member of the staff.

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Comments 36

Ostend Street
2009-09-14 09:27:01

Kanye wasn't thinking. He instantly became a rude, egotistical, pompous bore.

nhlanhla
2009-09-14 09:39:06

And also what was Serena Williams thinking, threatening to shove a ball down a lineswoman. That was more than cringe worthy.

Mr. FAMU
2009-09-14 10:09:23

We mad at Kanye and Serena but let Joe Wilson insult the president of the united states and no one bats an eye lash? Black people are IDIOTS. That girl won a freaking metal moon man, she isn't going to DIE. Be for real there are much bigger fish to fry.

James P
2009-09-14 10:37:59

I will kill for my people and god knows that BUT, when your wrong then own it.... Kanya is way more confident then he should be. I understand stardom goes to your head but this is ridiculous! The man is more on the wack side then hot! He really should concentrate on trying not to be a one hit wonder and stop thinking he can just be rude when he wants to be. Leave that rude shit to the people who do it better then anybody whitey!

Raul Torres
2009-09-14 10:52:21

I didn't know MTV even still showed videos enough to have an awards show, and, as far as West, what does anyone expect from someone wearing sunglasses inside at night to do? Have class or something? If his talent was as strong as his arrogance.....

Kim
2009-09-14 10:52:50

I agree Kanye is a complete idiot and has lost it. To disrespect a young lady who deserves her moment is disgraceful. I know his mother would have been quite disappointed and ashamed. He should be banned from any and all music award shows. To Mr. FAMU I'M BLACK and we are NOT all idiots.

Kim
2009-09-14 10:52:50

Robin
2009-09-14 11:09:23

Wow! What a no class assho%e. Who the hell does he think he is.

Robin
2009-09-14 11:14:05

Mr. Famu, Where have you been? Blacks and whites both have expressed outrage and disgust over Joe Wilson's disrespect of the President.

Ostend Street
2009-09-14 11:40:50

Mr. FAMU pull up the article about Joe Wilson on this site and look at the comments section showing the outrage that most people had about his outburst; however, we're talking about a frivilous award show. No matter what you think the young Lady deserved her place in the sun for that moment. She won. Kanye's act was disgraceful.

Karen
2009-09-14 11:54:41

Kanye was wrong and is an as* but I ain't losing no sleep over it. There are alot of loud mouth obnoxious arrogant a**holes out there, especially on talk radio who do and say shit and I never and I repeat never ever hear their people denouncing them. I'm just saying.

GLB
2009-09-14 11:55:20

This was totally out of line but what he said was totally TRUE

1914inches
2009-09-14 11:55:53

Mr FAMU, I dont know where you have been but i have never seen more outrage over Rep Wilson's comments from both blacks and whites. So come off that please. Kanye was dead wrong for this. Anytime a black man is on national TV, he represents us all, at least to white people cause we all look alike. Country music is the most popular music in the country and they have millions of white red neck fans. So Kanye just gave them yet another big bad black guy to hate!

Charles
2009-09-14 14:51:33

We"ve lost our soul as a nation. The things that allow us to inter-act without total choas are considered out-dated. Basic respect, common courtesy, treating people how you want be treated. Remember those things? I know they seem like things from the distant past. Somehow the most important part of our humanity have been traded in, for what? A self-consumed society? We are feeding on each other. Anyone else even realize what we have lost?

Karen
2009-09-14 15:09:06

Charles, please use another exmaple,; Dafur, the way some Americans are reacting to the president, Katrina, or the prevelance of child porn, but to make such a strong statement due to Kanye's action? Talk about blowing things out of proportion.

DCalpha
2009-09-14 15:42:07

Kanye West is either off his medication, or MTV set that mess up. either way it was extremely disrespectful....

V. Fields
2009-09-14 16:09:25

It seemed kinda staged to me. Every thing in entertainment is these days, you don't always know what's real or fake. Instead of everybody having an opinion about everything has it occurred to anyone to just pray?? Tensions are so freakin high these days regarding race. We got so much work to do.

Blaze
2009-09-14 16:12:11

What are some of you thinking? Disrespectful is disrespectful, and this was completely unacceptable. It first and foremost must be realized by Kanye that the winner of this award was not his decision. As for somebody calling me whitey on this page, hey that's fine, I'm not whining about it, I know I'm white. We as a country are really going down hill. If we ever have another terrorist attack or your way of life is threatened, I'd fight for you, would you fight for me? This is the USA. We won't be here in another 100 years if we can't band together and fight the real enemies

Omar
2009-09-14 16:23:41

What a jackass! Kanye West is such a no-talent arrogant jackass. If I were Taylor, I'd pop him on top of his head with my Moonman! Who does that fool think he is? Michael Jackson?! Michael Jackson had more talent in one of his turds than Kanye thinks he has in his whole body and MJ would have never have stolen the spotlight from a new artist like Taylor Swift! I bet you won't see Kanye's black azz nowhere near the VMA's next year!

Charles
2009-09-14 16:25:23

Karen, The context that Im using, is showing what Kanye did is a sympton of a bigger problem that all stems from a lack of basic respect for one another. If you dont think thats a problem your sleep walking. Because the next time your minding your businenss driving, and someone decides to rudely cut you off, risking your life and perhaps loved ones riding with you. Thats a respect issue that hits home! Literally! We have lost the most important part of our humanity. Loving our neighbors as ourselves. Thats what I was saying Karen. Off course it's not about Kanye's ingant ass. But if he were loving that young country singer like himself, and showing her the same basic respect he wanted for himself he were recieving an award he wouldnt have done that. Dafur is accross the ocean. Charity begins at home.

Ostend Street
2009-09-14 16:37:28

I hear you Charles. No one needs to make excuses for Kanye and his ignorance. If he has a beef with MTV because of the way that they handle their selection process, he should talk with the powers that be at MTV not take it out on some innocent entertainer.

Karen
2009-09-14 16:39:10

Charles wrote "Dafur is accross the ocean. Charity begins at home" That statement is so loaded. Dafur might be across the ocean to you but to me it's HOME. And who is to say that Kanye considers America home?(such a beautiful place with a bunch of ignorant morons). What America as home means to one person may mean something totally different to another. I'm not in any way excusing his outlandish behavior but American lost it's manners long ago.

Charles
2009-09-14 17:09:59

So we should loose our manners with them? Africa is home. I am a proud African in America. Born here with a long line of decedents that built this motha. So I would love to see us embrace Africa in unity. But we wont even embrace each other. Thats what Im saying. We have to stop being in denial about our mess. Thats what we did about crack, aids, some of the messages in rap, etc, fartherless children, etc. On and on, we kick the can down the road instead looking these ugly issues in the face and dealing with them honestly. We start talking about it not being "OUR" problem. And it is. The legacy of King has been dis-honored by this un-gratefull, un-godly, dissrespectfull ass generation. Sorry karen, just gotta keep it real.

Cmoney
2009-09-14 17:30:30

He's a jerk, plain and simple. Plus, his anitcs are really getting to the point where he should just be banned from these awrd shows. He had no business ruining that young lady's moment to make his own stupid announcement. For some reason he thinks the world really gives a damn about what he thinks. I think he really needs some mental health treatment.

dirtyouthDude
2009-09-14 18:58:17

gotta take the heat off (protect) massa Addison (joe Wilson) by deflecting the negative publicity back to us folks. God damn negro clown!

bterry
2009-09-14 19:33:10

Kenye thought the evening was over, and didn't realize more awards were to come. There is a black vs. white component that caused Kenya's blow-up. In his mind, the evening that was a tribute to a black male artist had become a white female award show. Trippy to see reverse discrimination like that. $10 says Taylor will never get an apology from him either.

carlos
2009-09-14 20:56:25

He was out of line and it seems as though he might have had too much wine with his glass of kool-aid, but, he does seem to have major issues dealing with people in any real time situation. And, then there is that lack of real talent to match that huge ego...

M
2009-09-15 01:09:59

I didn't watch it but it sounds like the dude was truly disrespectful and disgraceful.

Beyonce saved the night as much as she might have been able to.

But I wouldn't put it past some of them to have set-up the interruption. It adds some "crazy" to West's "bad boy" cred. I mean really... many of these "talents" are tools of the $back office$.

M
2009-09-15 01:18:04

BTW, I thought I saw that he was on LENO emotionally apologizing for his behavior. I'll have to check it out.

Maybe he should take Taylor out for a drink to be broadcast by MTV.

Charles
2009-09-15 04:17:46

Yeah M he did. After coming down off his acid trip, or whatever drugs he was on. He has had time to realize you cant just step on other peoples feelings like that. But again. I insist this is not uncommon to a behavior that has siezed our culture. IT'S ALL ABOUT ME !!!!! I am the Lord, God, and Almighty of the universe. And everyone else is on the planet to serve me. This is the insanity that alot of folks live by. Real talk...

FRE
2009-09-15 21:12:27

@1914inches,

I'm white and I don't think that all blacks look alike. Moreover, I do not see Kayne West as representing all blacks and what he does does not affect my opinion of blacks. However, I do understand why you are upset since we both know that SOME whites will look at blacks less favorably as a results of what West did. But please understand that many of us whites (I hope a majority of us) do not make unfair generalizations based on the lack of impulse control on the part of one black man.

Joray
2009-09-15 23:53:06

Kanye never has nor will ever attain the status class which he would like to be apart of. Class and respect are family traditions and apparently he never had the proper upbringing for a truly classy guy he'd like to be....... And you don't walk around drinking Hennesy out of a bottle offering an assortment of 'friends' to take a swig of your personal bottle of booze... That's nasty, plain and simple, for anyone to drink after another......just nasty. Kanye West is a class B entertainer and will always be a act to pass on.

GHW
2009-09-16 01:42:46

While I agree that Mr. West's behavaviour was distateful, it was by no means new. He's played the part of the lout before. Call me cynical, but I sincerely believe that had he done the same thing to, say, Beyonce, the response, though resentful, would have been muted. Something in my gut tells me that because of issues of race, class, genre (of music) and stereotyping, that Mr. West has facilitated a severe social backlash which many cultural critics will find disheartening, but very telling in this "post racial era".

M
2009-09-16 15:30:32

After thinking deep about this, I'm more and more open to questions:

What really was in the bottle?
Was he really drunk?
Was this set-up as a perfect flip on the Obama-Wilson scene?
Was this all MTV promo/marketing?

Conspiracy theorists, I mean inquiring minds want to know.

Ramsis
2009-09-17 09:05:43

Kayne: Was the first and only entertainer who addressed the plight of African Americans and poor whites after the Katrina Now you want to throw him under the bus. You should spend your time and energy addressing people with real power like Joe Wilson the republicans and there elk.

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