The years-old Kanye West–Taylor Swift rift just detonated, with family members and reps taking sides and sparring on social media.
In recent days, a new video clip of a four-year-old conversation between pair about Kanye’s song “Famous” hit the web. The leaked 25-minute phone call seemed to support the pop superstar’s claims all along, that she was never asked about being called a “b—h” in Ye’s song.
Now, West’s wife Kim Kardashian has stepped into the fray. The reality TV posted a batch of tweets overnight in which she defends her husband and repeatedly calls the “Bad Blood” singer a liar.
Tagging Swift’s handle, Kardashian says the singer has “chosen to reignite an old exchange — that at this point in time feels very self-serving given the suffering millions of real victims are facing right now.”
Getting into the swing of things, Kardashian continues: “I didn’t feel the need to comment a few days ago, and I’m actually really embarrassed and mortified to be doing it right now, but because she continues to speak on it, I feel I’m left without a choice but to respond because she is actually lying.”
And in another: “To be clear, the only issue I ever had around the situation was that Taylor lied through her publicist who stated that ‘Kanye never called to ask for permission…’ They clearly spoke so I let you all see that. Nobody ever denied the word ‘bitch’ was used without her permission.”
.@taylorswift13 has chosen to reignite an old exchange – that at this point in time feels very self-serving given the suffering millions of real victims are facing right now.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 24, 2020
I didn’t feel the need to comment a few days ago, and I’m actually really embarrassed and mortified to be doing it right now, but because she continues to speak on it, I feel I’m left without a choice but to respond because she is actually lying.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 24, 2020
To be clear, the only issue I ever had around the situation was that Taylor lied through her publicist who stated that “Kanye never called to ask for permission…” They clearly spoke so I let you all see that. Nobody ever denied the word “bitch” was used without her permission.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 24, 2020
At the time when they spoke the song had not been fully written yet, but as everyone can see in the video, she manipulated the truth of their actual conversation in her statement when her team said she
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 24, 2020
“declined and cautioned him about releasing a song with such a strong misogynistic message.”
The lie was never about the word bitch, It was always whether there was a call or not and the tone of the conversation.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 24, 2020
I never edited the footage (another lie) – I only posted a few clips on Snapchat to make my point and the full video that recently leaked doesn’t change the narrative.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 24, 2020
To add, Kanye as an artist has every right to document his musical journey and process, just like she recently did through her documentary.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 24, 2020
Kanye has documented the making of all of his albums for his personal archive, however has never released any of it for public consumption & the call between the two of them would have remained private or would have gone in the trash had she not lied & forced me to defend him.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 24, 2020
This will be the last time I speak on this because honestly, nobody cares.
Sorry to bore you all with this. I know you are all dealing with more serious and important matters.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) March 24, 2020
Swift’s PR Tree Paine then entered the battle with a tweet of her own. “I’m Taylor’s publicist and this is my UNEDITED original statement. Btw, when you take parts out, that’s editing,” she writes, signing off with a backhander: “P.S. who did you guys piss off to leak that video?” complete with three laughing emojis.
The “unedited” message reads, “Kanye did not call for approval, but to ask Taylor to release his single ‘Famous’ on her Twitter account. She declined and cautioned him about releasing a song with such a strong misogynistic message. Taylor was never made aware of the actual lyric, ‘I made that b—h famous.’”
I’m Taylor’s publicist and this is my UNEDITED original statement. Btw, when you take parts out, that’s editing.
P.S. who did you guys piss off to leak that video? 😂😂😂 https://t.co/AtMGUp3t24 pic.twitter.com/EjGDwAdL6O
— Tree Paine (@treepaine) March 24, 2020
Kim’s younger sister Khloe Kardashian also weighed in. Paying tribute to her sibling’s defensive skills, she writes: “Kim is my f—ing lawyer for life!!!!!! My sister AND my lawyer.”
I was about to go take my ass to sleep but then I just saw my sister post a couple tweets. ♥️♥️♥️♥️ Kimberly you betta!!!!!!!!!!!♥️♥️♥️♥️
— Khloé (@khloekardashian) March 24, 2020
Kim is my fucking lawyer for life!!!!!! My sister AND my lawyer
— Khloé (@khloekardashian) March 24, 2020
Taylor and Kanye’s beef dates back to the night when Kanye West interrupted Swift’s victory speech at the 2009 MTV VMAs when she snagged the best female video trophy. The rapper’s behavior at the time prompted the-then president Barack Obama to chime in, calling Kanye a “jackass.”