The Feud Rages On

A released recording of a call between Taylor Swift and Kanye West brings years of vicious conflict to a head

- Nici De Wet

If you thought nothing could push Covid-19 off the trending tree, think again. Remember the Taylor Swift vs Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West drama from way back? Well, it’s back, people. With a vengeance.

This decade-long feud isn’t going anywhere – there’s simply too much at stake: egos, one-upmanship, desperation to have the last word . . . you name it, it’s all here.

So if you need a recap or if you’ve just joined the frivolous fray, here’s a blow-by-blow account of what’s gone down and why it’s back with a big old b***h of a bang.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

The year: 2009. The occasion: the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in New York. The contenders for best female music video: Taylor for You Belong to Me and Beyoncé for Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).

The winner: Tay-Tay. The reaction: unexpected to say the least.

What went down: Taylor went up to accept her trophy and started her thankyou speech – and Kanye flipped.

The rapper, who’s besties with Bey and husband Jay-Z, stormed onto the stage and snatched the mic from Tay-Tay. “Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!” he ranted.

Everyone was stunned – even his wife, Kim, who mouthed, “Oh, Kanye”, as the crowd began to boo.

Singer Katy Perry was a bit blunter. “F**k you, Kanye West,” she tweeted.

“It’s like you stepped on a kitten,” pop star Pink said. “You’re the biggest piece of s**t on Earth.”

And so the stage was set for one of the biggest beefs in musical history.