The Taylor Swift vs Kimye row, explained
taylor-kanye

Kim Kardashian has form when it comes to breaking the internet. Last night she almost did it again.

If you’re still out of the loop on the Taylor Swift vs Kimye saga, let us bring you back up to speed.

On Snapchat, the reality TV star posted a video of a phone call between her husband Kanye West and Taylor Swift, showing the rapper running the controversial lines from his song ‘Famous’ past the pop star.

For those who don’t remember, that track from The Life of Pablo was widely criticised for its opening salvo: “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous.”

At the time of its release, a spokesperson for Swift was quick to condemn the song:

“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 bitch famous’.”

So what have we learned from the latest chapter in the Kimye / Swift saga?

Kanye album launch

Kanye did seek approval for the first half of the lyric

Whatever you think of the lyrical content, the original argument was about whether Kanye had run the Taylor Swift reference past the singer.

In the call, her response is positive: “Go with whatever line you think is better. It’s obviously really tongue in cheek, either way … And I really appreciate you telling me about it, that’s really nice.”

Kanye replies: “Oh yeah, I just had a responsibility to you as a friend you know, and I mean thanks for being so cool about it.”

But Taylor Swift maintains that the second half wasn’t mentioned

In an Instagram post titled “That moment when Kanye West secretly records your phone call, then Kim posts it on the Internet”, Swift points out that the line “I made that bitch famous” is not mentioned by Kanye in the phone call.

That moment when Kanye West secretly records your phone call, then Kim posts it on the Internet.

A photo posted by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on

In any case, she doesn’t across too well

It’s hard to feel too sorry for Swift though.

She is an artist with a PR machine which has used social media to great effect, and this is a rare occasion where she’s lost control of her image.

Tellingly, in the phone call she also gushes to Kanye about the flowers he sent her, which she posted on Instagram at the time, for record likes.

“And then the flowers that you sent me, I like Instagrammed a picture of them and it’s like the most Instagram likes I’ve ever gotten. It was like 2.7.”

Awwww Kanye sent me the coolest flowers!! #KanTay2020 #BFFs

A photo posted by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on

See, even celebrities judge their popularity in social media likes.

Don’t mess with Kim Kardashian

The internet has been quick to round on Swift, despite the fact she’s clearly in the right about the specific “bitch” lyric not being mentioned.

If there’s anyone who knows how to win a social media war, it’s Kim Kardashian.

Sure, Calvin Harris might be easy enough to swat aside, but in Kim K, Taylor Swift has found a fearsome enemy.

The Calvin Harris dimension

The Snapchat leak comes at a time when Swift was hoping the media attention would be on her love life, rather than Kanye lyrics.

She’s been having a very public fling with Tom Hiddleston, amid rumours that the whole thing was being staged for a music video.

Meanwhile, her ex, Calvin Harris, was tweeting in anger last week at reports that Swift was solely responsible for his hit ‘This is What You Came For’.

It’s prompted the internet into full-on reaction GIF mode…

 

Everyone is calling it this generation’s Watergate

Times have certainly changed…

More:

Lena Dunham slams Kanye West’s ‘Famous’ video

Are these Kanye West quotes real or fake?

The Life of Pablo: A guide to the samples and guests

Main image: Getty