In 2009 Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech during the MTV VMA’s, except it wasn’t the first time something like this has happened at an award show.
11 years before Kanye West decided to barge his way onto the stage, rapper ODB (Ol’ Dirty B******) did the same thing. The two men were protesting award show choices and in their infamous moments ruined two musicians getting their moment to shine. ODB was protesting the Grammys not televising the award for Best Rap Album, while Kanye years later was upset Beyoncé didn’t win Best Video by a Female Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards. But Ye wasn’t the first to ruin a speech during award season.
ODB’s protest at the 1998 Grammys
Years before Kanye West had a chance to tell Taylor Swift he would “let her finish” her speech, ODB decided he would do something similar.
After the Best Rap Album was presented at the Grammys, ODB, whose birth name was Russel Tyrone Jones, took to the stage and interrupted Song of the Year. The award went to Shawn Colvin for her 1997 track Sunny Come Home.
ODB went on stage to tell Grammy executives he wasn’t happy the rap album category, in which his group Wu-Tang Gang had been nominated but not won, wasn’t televised.
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“Please calm down,” the music star shouted into the mic after getting on stage before Sunny even said a word.
“I went and bought me an outfit today that [cost] me a lot of money today, you know what I mean? Because I thought that Wu-Tang was gon’ win. I don’t know how y’all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children. We teach the children. Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best, okay?
“I want y’all to know that this is ODB and I love you all. Peace.”
After he’d been escorted off the stage, Sunny looked flabbergasted and said: “I’m confused now,” while playing with her hair and letting out a nervous laugh.
The next day, he explained why he’d gone up on stage and insisted he had no hard feelings toward P Diddy – who now goes by simply Diddy. “It wasn’t no disrespect to Puffy, Sean Combs. I’m talking about rap, in itself, being televised. All of us, as one, being televised… I don’t know, it just happened. Like I said, no disrespect to Puffy, he got it goin’ on. “
Taylor Swift fans still sour she was interrupted by Kanye West
During the MTV VMAs in 2009, Taylor Swift won Best Video by a Female Artist for her song You Belong With Me. However, soon after she started her speech, she was interrupted when Kanye West ran up on stage and snatched her mic.
He wanted to make it clear he believed Beyoncé deserved the award for Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) rather than Taylor.
After taking the mic from a confused Taylor, then 17, the celebrity said: “Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!”
The cameras then cut to the Crazy in Love singer who, looking very embarrassed, shakes her head and says: “Oh Kanye.”
Tay Tay was later invited back up on stage after Bey won the award for Video of the Year for Single Ladies. Beyoncé told the audience: “I remember being 17 years old, up for my first MTV Award with Destiny’s Child, and it was one of the most exciting moments in my life,” Beyoncé said. “So, I’d like for Taylor to come out and have her moment.”
Taylor later called Beyoncé “classy and gracious” for letting her have her moment. The two are still in good contact today, as Taylor recently attended Beyoncé’s premiere for her Renaissance concert movie.
Later, Kanye tried to explain the reason he had interrupted Taylor saying he was told by God to do so.
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