After infamously stealing Taylor Swift’s spotlight to pledge his support for Beyoncé at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West has now used another high-profile public appearance to get his feelings out — but this time, he criticized the “Formation” singer and her husband, Jay Z, for allowing music industry politics to come between their friendship.
During a Saturday night performance in Sacramento as part of his ongoing Saint Pablo Tour, Yeezy lashed out at the famous couple, putting an alleged personal feud on blast in front of a crowd at the city’s Golden 1 Center.
“You know I got the vision, and you know I’mma keep it real with you. Beyoncé — I was hurt… because I heard that you said you wouldn’t perform unless you won Video of the Year over me and over ‘Hotline Bling,’” he said, referencing the 2016 MTV VMAs ceremony. “In my opinion — now don’t go dissing Beyoncé, she’s great. Taylor Swift is great. We are all great people. We are all equal — but sometimes we be playing the politics too much and forget who we are just to win. F— winning, f— looking cool. F— looking cool. F— being cool. F— all that, bruh.”
He continued: “I’ve been sent here to give y’all my truth even at the risk of my own life, even at the risk of my own success, my own career. I’ve been sent here to give y’all the truth. Jay Z — call me, bruh. You still ain’t called me. Jay Z, call me, Jay Z — I know you got killers. Please don’t send them at my head. Just call me. Talk to me like a man.”
During the set, West also took a shot at Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton after pledging his support for Donald Trump during a Nov. 17 concert in San Jose.
“This Saint Pablo Tour is the most relevant [thing] happening. If your old ass keeps following old models, you’ll be Hillary Clinton,” he said, according to The Sacramento Bee, before declaring “I’m on my Trump s— tonight” as he condemned mainstream radio for not playing Frank Ocean or Kid Cudi — the latter of which then joined the performer for a duet of their collaborative track “Waves,” which appears on West’s latest album, The Life of Pablo.
West then closed the stop with a message for the media approximately 30 minutes after he took the stage.
“Right now, press, get ready to write your passive aggressive, LeBron James racist comments, season 4, racist comments,” he said before literally dropping the mic. “Get ready to have a field day press! Get ready! Get ready, the show is over!”