The infamous 2009 MTV Video Music Awards moment where Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech remains a significant event in pop culture history. Now, Amber Rose is opening up about her perspective, revealing that she feels partially responsible for hyping up the rapper, then her boyfriend, just moments before the shocking incident.
Encouraging the ‘Superstar’
Speaking on the ‘Ball In the Family’ podcast, Rose recalled attending the VMAs with Ye. She admitted to encouraging him to embrace his superstar status, even suggesting they take shots of Hennessy on the red carpet. “I’m like, ‘Babe, you got that bottle of Hennessy upstairs,’“ Rose said. “‘You a superstar. You need to get the Henny. We need to be taking shots of Henny on the carpet.’”
She continued to hype him up, telling him, “You’re the biggest thing in the whole world.” Rose remembers cheering him on, unaware of the controversial moment that was about to unfold live on stage.
Caught Off Guard by the Interruption
When Taylor Swift took the stage to accept the award for Best Female Video for “You Belong With Me,” Kanye West famously interrupted her, stating that Beyoncé should have won for “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” Amber Rose admitted she was completely blindsided by his actions. “All of a sudden, I’m just sitting there and then he’s on stage and I’m like, ‘Oh, s–t, I was not expecting that,’“ she recalled.
Years later, Rose shared that she and Taylor Swift have moved past the controversy. Swift even sent Rose and Kanye a large box of merchandise and concert tickets, signaling a reconciliation.
Lingering Repercussions
The impact of the VMA incident has had long-lasting effects. Kanye West himself claimed in a since-deleted X post that this moment, along with others like his comments about George Bush and wearing a MAGA hat, contributed to him never being allowed to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
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