Fifteen years after storming Taylor Swift’s 2009 VMAs acceptance speech, Kanye West has reignited their complicated history – this time blaming their infamous incident (along with his MAGA hat era and Hurricane Katrina comments) for never being invited to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
In a since-deleted April 7 Twitter post later circulated online, the controversial rapper mused: “How it feel to be the best living and blocked from the main stage because of being ahead of my time” – adding with dark irony, “(And I mean all of this was before I went full Nazi of course).” The remark references his recent antisemitic controversies, including a 2025 Super Bowl Yeezy ad that directed viewers to a website selling swastika-emblazoned merchandise.
While Kanye and Taylor appeared to reconcile post-VMAs – even exchanging supportive public gestures – their truce shattered in 2016 with his release of “Famous.” The track’s lyric “I made that b—h famous” sparked heated denials from Swift, who insisted she never approved the line despite Kim Kardashian leaking alleged call recordings. “Where is the video of Kanye telling me he was going to call me ‘that b—h’?” Taylor fired back on Instagram at the time.
Now, as Kanye revisits old grievances while promoting his Yeezy brand, the NFL maintains its distance – leaving one of music’s most volatile talents sidelined from its marquee event, while Taylor prepares to bring her record-breaking Eras Tour to the big game in 2024.
