The Year is 2016. Taylor hasn’t released Reputation. The Kardashians are still relevant. And Kim and Kanye have just dropped the leaked recordings of Kanye’s conversations with Taylor Swift regarding his infamous “Famous” lyric. “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex. Why I made that bitch famous?”
This might not matter to you, but it means the world to me. Because this was the exact moment that I unfollowed Taylor Swift. I was Team Kim Kardashian and honestly who wasn’t? (Unless you were a die-hard Taylor Fan, my condolences) Kim had the recording released after a rep from Taylor Swift denounced the lyric claiming that that Kanye never received her approval. Taylor later called the song misogynistic and offensive to women in a long and now infamous, classic Celebrity “Notes Post” on Instagram.
“I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, one that I have never wanted to be a part of, since 2009.” - Taylor Swift
Chilling words. You might be wondering, why are you re-hashing the past? Has quarantine really driven to you re-write 2016 news? The real answer is yes, yes it has, but that is besides the point. Taylor and Kim have officially re-entered that narrative. On Sunday, the actual full length recording of Kanye and Taylor’s conversation was released on the Internet, yes that’s right, the un-edited version (supposedly) has been re-released for the enjoyment of the entire Internet suffering in Quarantine.
As of Monday, neither celebrity had commented on the post. Now both have and other celebrities are starting to take sides. Taylor (not surprising) was their first to beak her silence via Instagram Story with her post mentioning the event:
But, Kim being Kim, of course, she needed the last word. Kim slams Taylor Swift's response in a series of tweets last night, calling out the pop-star saying that there are "more important issues to be discussing right now." Like Kim should be the judge of that.
Both videos and comments are very vague. Technically, Kanye never read Taylor the lyric stating “I made that bitch famous.” However, on the video, Taylor very happily agrees with Kanye that she is ok with him mentioning her in his new song. No, Kanye never played the song to her before the release like he promised.
Also, the culprit who released the video is yet to be identified? Do you know who? Many are suspecting that the Kardashian's released the tape to coincide with their New Season that is released on E! in the next few weeks. And honestly this seems like the most plausible guess.
Besides, you know what they say: The Devil Works Hard, but Kris Jenner Works Harder.
So, you’ve seen the video, you’ve heard the comments – what side are you on?
Team Swift v. Team Kimye.
And if you need more information to make a decision, don’t worry, I got you covered. Please see below for a Timeline of the Feud because let’s be honest, what else do you have to do?
A Comprehensive Taylor and Kanye Timeline:
March 2009: Kim admits to Entertainment Tonight that her favorite song is “Love Story” by Taylor Swift.
September 2009: Kanye infamously grabs the microphone from Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMA’s claiming that Beyoncé deserved the Best Music Video of the Year.
“I’m happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time.” - Kanye
Yikes, back then I was still Team-Taylor so that one hurt, moving on.
September 2009 (Post VMAs): Katy Perry jumps to Taylor Swift’s defense (ironic now, considering Bad Blood and all that jazz).
“F*** you Kanye, its like you stepped on a kitten” - Katy Perry Tweet
September 2009 (Post VMAs): Kanye apologizes on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno – taking responsibilities for his actions, “I immediately knew in the situation it was wrong.”
Yeah, Kanye, it was. Because after that moment Taylor Swift successfully built her career off of being a victim. I’m not saying that to piss of Swifities, I’m saying that because it is true. She did. And she did it well.
September 2010: We are back to the VMA’s where T-Swift performs her new song “Innocent” off her new album Speak Now. It is supposedly written about Kanye.
“32 is still growing up now.” - Innocent- Taylor Swift (Speak Now).
Summer 2013: Kanye, being the mentally stable musician like he is, takes back his 2009 apology. “I don’t have one regret” when referring to the 2009 VMAs and his now viral interruption.
2015 Grammy’s: T-Swift and Kanye in seemingly good spirits at the 57th Grammy Awards. The two were spotted together, hugging and posing together in public, seeming to be in good spirits.
2015 VMAs: Six years later, T-Swift honors and awards Kanye on the stage when she presents him with the Video Vangaurd Award.
“"I've been a fan of his for as long as I can remember because Kanye defines what it means to be a creative force in music, fashion and, well, life," - Taylor Swift referring to Kanye
She didn’t have to say that, but she did. On TV with millions watching. Just when you thought all was resolved. The must be besties, everyone was thinking!
February 11th 2016: Kanye calls T-Swift a “bitch” in his newly released song “Famous”. Kanye claims that all lyrics had the T-Swift stamp of approval.
Immediately following the song release, T-Swift’s Rep comments on the song stating that T-Swift was never made aware of the lyric where Kanye calls her a “bitch.”
February 15, 2016: T-Swift addresses the lyric at the 58th Grammy Awards when she wins Album of the Year for her chart-topping “1989”. She seemingly addresses the controversy stating:
"I want to say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments and your fame."
…She is taking about you, Kanye.
All is well for a few months. People have moved on, celebrity twitter seemed to be silenced.
June 2016: Kim Kardashian addresses T-Swift’s comments on Keeping Up With the Kardashians (KUWTK) saying that T-Swift “totally approved” the lyric.
June 2016: Kanye features a plastic, robot of T-Swift in his “Famous” Video.
July 2016: Kim Kardashian releases a video cut of a phone call between Taylor Swift and Kayne West where Kanye explains the lyric that he wants to include in his song if T-Swift approves.
“I feel like Taylor Swift might owe me sex.” - Kayne West, Famous
That was the only lyric that was included in the video. In the recording, it displays Taylor Swift happily agreeing to the lyric using the words.
July 2016: Taylor Swift immediately addresses the video leak, saying that Kim and Kanye set her up to ruin her reputation, stating that the video depicted her to be “a liar”
Kim quickly follows saying that the reason she had the recording released was because Kanye was “an artists” and records his sessions so he has documentation of footage…
Summer 2016: The Internet and the World (ok, I'm being dramatic) take sides. Most people were Side Kardashian West.
August 2017: Taylor Swift releases her first single off of “Reputation” “Look What You Made Me Do” referencing Kanye and Kim. She debuts her new look, featuring black and white and snakes.
November 2017: Swift releases her feature-length album, “Reputation” with most of the songs referencing the now infamous and viral Kanye Feud including, but not limited to:
- This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
- Look What You Made Me Do
- Call It What You Want
May 2019: Taylor Swift doesn’t let go of grudges, guys, she has albums of songs that proves this. In her Interview with ELLE Magazine, she references the “bullies” who have been in her life – people assumed she meant Kim and Kanye, whether that was true or not.
It probably was.
March 2020: As if the world wasn’t already ending, the re-surfaced, un-edited video of Kanye calling Taylor Swift goes viral on the Internet yet again. Taylor posts saying that this is the evidence that she needs to prove her innocence. Kim chimes in, proving that she gets the last word, with a series of tweets.
March 2020: Todrick Hall, BFF of T-Swift explicitly blasts Kim and supports Taylor in a series of social media blasts!
So, it’s four years later, we are still talking about this because it is the best distraction that we have right now.
And the question still remains, are you Team Swift or Team Kimye?
And that’s the sitch.
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