Kanye West Slams Taylor Swift Again at Intimate New York Concert

By Jason Newman Posted Nov 24th 2010 11:22AM

The rumors began Monday evening, when Teyana Taylor, guest vocalist on Kanye West's recently released new album, tweeted, "Just got to rehearsals for my performance with Mr Ye West tomorrow at the Bowery Ballroom tomorrow Dark Fantasy Baby!" By Tuesday morning, it was music's worst kept secret that West would be performing his new album, 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,' at the 550-capacity Bowery Ballroom in New York's Lower East Side later that night.

At around 1AM last night, West finally hit the stage to perform the widely-acclaimed album for the first time from start to finish. As Diddy, Q-Tip, Spike Lee, Aziz Ansari, Ivanka Trump, The Roots drummer ?uestlove and fashion designer Tory Burch looked on, the rapper brought out numerous collaborators involved in 'Fantasy,' including rapper Rick Ross, Pusha T, Nicki Minaj, John Legend, producer Swizz Beats and singer-songwriter Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.

But after performing the album and a handful of extra tracks, including 'Good Life' and 'Can't Tell Me Nothin,'' West went on an impassioned rant concerning his 2005 comments about George W. Bush and Hurricane Katrina, as well as accusing Taylor Swift of "riding the waves" of his endlessly replayed interruption of the singer at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

A larger chunk of West's monologue:

Everybody needs a villain, don't we? We need to blame someone at all times. For me to be considered a racist for stating a blatant truth, an obvious truth, but the nuances of my words, because I am very particular with my words, and the emotion I felt at that time wasn't worded exactly right -- but everybody came and said 'Oh my God!"...

I was emotional, that was not exactly the way I wanted to word it, but I wrote it, I rode it, just as Taylor never came to my defense in any interview, and rode the waves and rode it and rode it, that's the way I rode the waves of the Bush comment. I rode it. It's not about popular opinion. It's about when you look in your heart, and know what's right and what's wrong. When you look in your heart, look at what the media did, look at how they exploited him, they said that he said it was his lowest moment and as a mass, as America, we took that as a fact.

Vulture's got the full video and transcript:

For the countless people unable to refresh Ticketmaster quick enough to snag the $100 tickets, some lucky buyers were kind enough to offer you their extra for the cost of a small child. A quick Craigslist search revealed tickets going for $250 to $5,000, with one classy scalper "willing to listen to non-monetary offers." The Wall Street Journal reported the opening bid on one eBay auction went as high as $100,000.

Despite having sold out Madison Square Garden, West is still a fan of these small, exclusive affairs. In August, the rapper took the stage with John Legend at Lower East Side club The Box to a crowd of 200 people to debut new material. West is scheduled to perform the 'Fantasy' track 'Lost in the World' with Vernon at the upcoming Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Thursday.

Setlist (h/t to Brooklyn Vegan):

'Dark Fantasy' (with Terena Taylor & Bon Iver)
'Gorgeous'
'Power'
'All of the Lights' (interlude)
'All of the Lights' (with Bon Iver)
'Monster' (with Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Bon Iver)
'So Appalled' (with Pusha T, Prynce Cy Hi, Swizz Beatz)
'Devil in a New Dress' (with Rick Ross)
'Runaway' (with Pusha T)
'Hell of a Life' (with Bon Iver)
'Blame Game' (with John Legend)
'Lost in the World' (with Bon Iver)
'Who Will Survive in America'

Encore:
'Christian Dior Denim Flow'
'Can't Tell Me Nothing'
'Paranoid'
'The Good Life'

'Lost in the World' feat. Justin Vernon from Bon Iver

Tags: Kanye West

Comments

(305)

Thursday 25 November

By ttinman23

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Gee, I would wonder why if this were true. Didnt he appoint Rice. Your probably thinking who is that.

Monday 29 November

By Dan C

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Why does this BOZO think that Ms Swift should have "stood up for me" when the Press called him out? This man is in need of some serious HEAD WORK.

Wednesday 24 November

By N

What a great black role model. Pathetic.

By yuk

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

He never said he's anyones role model JK/AS, he has an opinion just like you!!! the truth hurts doesn't it, you can't live in your little bubble anymore!!!!

By dsaqt4life

gotta go with YUK on that. black people aren't of one mind anymore than white people are. i don't know any black people personally who approve of kanye's outrageous behavior.

By JustMe

Vote down Vote up Report this

Well... if it is his opinion, then how is it fact?

By chris

can somebody tell this guy to only open his mouth to sing

By Robert

No!!!!! I don't want to hear him sing either.

By JD

Chris,
If he could only open his mouth to sing, he'd be in deep dodo. He can't sing and sure can't voice his opinions (which suck). He's a mute!

By KAREN

I AGREE. WHY DOES ANYBODY GIVE HIM THE TIME OF DAY. ANYBODY THAT LIKES HIM ARE ALL USELESS IN MY OPINION. HIS MUSIC IS CRAP!!! HE IS THE RACIST. GO AWAY KANYE.

By valeskas

Kanye, just go back to the cave.

By lk

CANT THIS ANIMAL JUST GO AWAY

By YellowRose3218

Kayne needs to learn some manners, and morals. His hatred for Swift is ridiculous. Shes a young girl, and kayne 'suppose' to be a man. A real man would not say, or do the things kayne does and says. He is stuck on him self, more than anyone I have ever met. I have yet to meet one person, who cares anything at all for this guy. His 'singing' is horrible.
If it was not for 14 year olds, and some misguided people, the guy would not be heard of at all.

By LOL

A young girl with a fugly face and she can't sing for crap!!! she's a lil Ho!!!!

By Steve

Yeah, Kanye. You're the victim. It's boring, already.

By notre

Yea the black is ALWAYS a victim. Oppressed by all. I'm yawning already.

By Mike

Somebody needs to take this punk out back.

By David

You deserve to be "ridden" you worthless piece of crap.

By lsmith

Not a fan of Bush....Not a fan of Taylor Swift...Kanye Who? Oh so NOW he's the victim?!?! Always ends up that way doesn't it???

By I'm the Man.....

I'm a fan of Bush, voted for him twice and miss him now. Have been a fan of Taylor's since she 1st toured with Leeann Rymes and although she's not the best singer in the world, she's very talented. Anytone who says she's ugly is blind.
Kayne, dude you'd be better off bashing Obummer. At least that would make sence, moron........

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