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Kanye West once defended Taylor Swift amid her battle with his former manager Scooter Braun, despite the rapper’s feud with the singer. Here’s what happened between Swift, West, and Braun, and how the rapper showed support for his fellow musician. 

Side by side photos of Taylor Swift and Kanye West, who are in a feud. West once defended Swift against his former manager, Scooter Braun.
(L-R) Taylor Swift and Kanye West | Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

Taylor Swift feuded with Kanye West’s former manager, Scooter Braun

Singer Taylor Swift’s public feud with Scooter Braun began in 2019 when the talent manager acquired the master recordings of Swift’s first six albums.

Braun is best known for working with celebrity clients like Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, and Ariana Grande. He has cultivated the careers of several young stars and helped launch them to the heights of fame.

He was once Kanye West’s manager, and the rapper has had a long-running feud with Swift since 2009. But the Donda rapper seemingly fired Braun in 2018 when he famously tweeted, “I no longer have a manager. I can’t be managed.” 

Swift has been open about her feelings toward Braun and his acquisition of her recordings. She posted a lengthy, scathing message on Tumblr in which she accused Braun of “incessant, manipulative bullying” and claimed she was never given the opportunity to buy her masters.

Kanye West publicly supported Taylor Swift amid her feud with Scooter Braun

Despite the rapper’s years-long feud with Taylor Swift, Kanye West tweeted in support of the singer in her battle against Scooter Braun. The message was surprising not only due to West and Swift’s beef but also because Braun used to work with the rapper. 

“I’M GOING TO PERSONALLY SEE TO IT THAT TAYLOR SWIFT GETS HER MASTERS BACK,” West tweeted in September 2020. “SCOOTER IS A CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND.”

West’s input came over a year after Braun bought Swift’s recordings. The singer still does not own her masters, but she has been re-recording her first six albums and releasing extended versions of some songs, including the VMA-winning 10-minute version of “All Too Well.”

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The two musicians shared an infamous moment at the 2009 VMAs

Kanye West’s feud with Taylor Swift started in 2009 when the rapper interrupted the singer during her acceptance speech at the MTV VMAs.

The singer was nominated for Best Video by a Female Artist for “You Belong With Me.” Beyoncé was nominated in the same category for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It),” and also for the Video of the Year, which is considered a higher honor. 

Swift won Best Female Video, and the then-19-year-old approached the stage to deliver her acceptance speech. As she began to speak, West crashed the stage and grabbed the microphone out of her hand. 

“Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish,” he said. “But Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!”

Later that night, Beyoncé won Video of the Year. Instead of giving a speech, she invited Swift back onstage. “I’d like to give Taylor her moment,” Beyoncé said.

West and Swift have had further disagreements stemming from that infamous moment at the VMAs, and they are not on friendly terms to this day. 

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