In 2009, Kanye West caused a major controversy by taking the spotlight (and microphone) away from Taylor Swift as she came up to give her acceptance speech for an MTV Video Music Award.
Shortly thereafter, President Barack Obama was caught in a candid moment calling West a “jackass” for his actions.
During an interview on Philadelphia’s Hot 107.9, Kanye addressed the infamous moment. “That was kind of my position in culture, that he also used that too, like ‘Oh, he’s a jackass,’ and stuff like that, because that’s how the world felt,” said ‘Ye. “But I don’t care if somebody the President or not. I care about thoughts, and how you helpin’ people, and what you bring to the world. My music brings joy to people. What I create brings joy to people, and I’m about people. Me, I’m not about me. I’m about, ‘I got an idea that people gonna like.'”
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Kanye also addressed remarks by Obama where the POTUS criticized a “change in culture” that includes children “monitoring every day what Kim Kardashian was wearing, or where Kanye West was going on vacation.
“I think he shouldn’t mention my baby mama name,” said Kanye, before adding, “because we both from Chicago.”
Ultimately, Kanye put a moratorium on Obama-talk. “I’m not gonna mention him no more,” he said. “I’m past that. That’s out my thoughts. That’s lower on my priority of thinking at this point.”
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Watch the interview below:
This isn’t the first time that Kanye has responded to President Obama. “When Obama called me ‘jackass,’ after the Taylor incident, I thought that the person who taped that wasn’t supposed to tape it,” he said in 2010. “Obama was supposed to be speaking off the record. Obama has way more important stuff to worry about than my public perception. He was trying to pass the healthcare bill. And if he said that to relate to the room or lighten the room up and the whole mood, then I’d be more than happy to be the butt of all of his jokes if it in the some way helps his overall mission. I’m a soldier of culture. I’m resilient. I’m sure I’ll still beat him in basketball.”
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