Taylor Swift Slams Kanye West In New Album ‘Reputation’

Taylor Swift released her highly anticipated sixth studio album, Reputation, shortly before midnight on November 9. The album consists of 15 songs that the singer seemingly takes aim at her longtime rival, Kanye West. Although Swift has never explicitly identified who inspired her lyrics, her fans who have been following her career for over a decade can read between the lines. Still, all of her lyrics are open to interpretation.

Swift’s issues with West date back to the MTV VMAs in 2009, when he stormed on stage during her acceptance speech to the audience that Beyoncè “had one of the best videos of all time.” Years later, the rapper made up but it only lasted until February 2016, when West name-dropped Swift in his song “Famous,” off his album The Life of Pablo. “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/Why?/I made that b—h famous/Goddamn/I made that b—h famous,” he rapped.

Ultimately, it became messy, especially after his wife, Kim Kardashian, published excerpts of Swift’s phone call with West months after the 2016 Grammys. Swift stopped feeding into the drama, at least publicly, but that all changed with her album dropping.

In Swift’s new song, “I Did Something Bad,” she says, “I never trust a narcissist,” since West has been known to display narcissistic qualities. “They said I did something bad” and “They’re burning all the witches even if you aren’t one/They got their pitchforks and proof/Their receipts and reason,” referring to Kardashian exposing Swift on Snapchat and the media calling her a snake.

In the song, “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” she says, “But I’m not the only friend you’ve lost lately/If only you weren’t so shady,” referring to when West called out Jay-Z and Beyoncè for not visiting him and his wife after the robbery in Paris.

In the song, “Look What You Made Me Do,” she says, “I don’t like your little games/Don’t like your tilted stage,” referring to West’s Saint Pablo Tour in 2016 when his stage would sometimes tilt as it floated above the audience.

Aside from West, her boyfriend Joe Alwyn, rival Katy Perry and ex-boyfriends Calvin Harris and Tom Hiddleston are others that were reportedly inspirations in Swift’s album.

Swift will person on Saturday Night Live on November 11.