Kanye West, in his first interview since his E News post-Grammys rant, backtracks a little on his comments regarding Beck’s Album on the Year win. On Ryan Seacrest’s morning radio show, the rapper also revealed that he plans to enter the studio with Taylor Swift!
Now, Kanye says nearly taking the stage at the Grammys when Beck won album of the year WAS actually a joke. Also Kanye, if you believe the Grammys are “a joke” why you so mad?
You know, I felt like just the whole Grammys, right when that happened, everybody was looking at me and then people started screaming, “Kanye! Kanye! Go do it!” Ok, that didn’t really happen, these were voices in my head. So the voices in my head told me go and then I just walked up like halfway up the stage. You know, what I really wanted to do is just joke around about what had happened before, but I just really didn’t want to take away from Beck’s moment or the time he’s having to talk because you know the Grammys, they play music really quick no matter who you are and everything. So I didn’t want anything to take away from his screen time. So I just walked back down because you know, it was kind of a joke like the Grammys themselves.
He also excuses his behavior by giving himself credit for bringing sales and attention to the artists he disses. A point that has SOME merit. The post-VMAs fallout in 2009 certainly helped Taylor Swift’s career. But I think Beck would have sold more albums after winning AOT, regardless.
Well first of all, Beck is one of the nicest guys and one of the most respected musicians in the game. So, there’s nothing that I will want to do as a fellow musician to disrespect him in any way. And the weird thing is like, and I don’t feel like I have the right to take away from people’s moments, but the reality of it is — and case in point by who came up to me right afterwards — is it’s almost like a chiropractor. You know, you just get a little crook out like, “Wow, this crook has been there!” It’s just a little jolt of truth, right? And then you know, everyone feels better after the fact, or everyone is way more famous after the fact, or everyone sells way more albums after the fact, and then Kanye just goes on being an a**hole to everyone.
On his E! Rant
Well you know what happened? It’s because I sat there and I kind of let that [smolder] and I was asked my opinion and I was given a platform. And when given a platform, it’s very hard as we know — and I’m going to talk in third person like I’m a crazy person — but it’s very hard for Kanye West to not be very true and vocal to what he feels. You know, it’s like people take the Grammys for granted in a way because of the commercials, because a lot of the musicians are very rich and everything, but this is our Super Bowl. You know, and someone’s got to be mad that [Marshawn Lynch] didn’t get the ball.
Kanye backtracks on his “Beck disrespects artistry” comment in the most rambly way possible. He claims there are many times he’s “given away his award” (WHAT?). I guess it boils done to Beck needing to acknowledge Beyonce on stage or something. Of course, Kanye nearly disrupting his speech shaved about 15 seconds off of the very short window artists were given for thank yous. I think it’s more important that Beck thank his family rather than mention frigging Beyonce.
And when I said that thing about respect artistry, I think it came off the wrong way, and that was a mis-wording on my part because obviously Beck is one the most respected artists and respects artistry. But I felt — and this is my opinion and he’s his own man and he’s not wrong and we’ll still go play basketball and stuff [unless] he doesn’t want to do it — but I felt that even though the Grammys some times gives awards to people who you wouldn’t think should win in the category, as a respect to artists, we mention the other artist’s name in our speech. And that was the point I was making about it. There’s like many of times I gave other people my award, literally made them come up onstage. Maroon 5, when they won best new artist, [Adam Levine] mentioned me because it was the College Dropout and [it had] 10 nominations and all that.
Kanye claims Taylor Swift wants to go into the studio with him. Of course Kanye doesn’t “discriminate”–particularly if it’s a move that will bring him attention and publicity.
Yeah, she wants to get in the studio and we’re definitely going to go in. Any artist with an amazing point of view, perspective, fan base, I’m down to get in the studio and work. I don’t discriminate, I don’t have an elitism of music because of like how many Grammys or you know, the amount of ratings you get on an album. I that think everyone loves music whether they love hip-hop, alternative, country, and if I could be involved in giving people any type of energy, advice in the studio, whether you’re Beyonce, whether you’re Taylor Swift, whether you’re Jay Z, whether you’re Beck, whoever, and they can be reciprocal with that, I’d like to be involved with that.
Listen to the entire interview at RyanSeacrest.com, or right here below:
