Kanye West has sparked fresh controversy by reigniting his long-running feud with Taylor Swift, suggesting she played a role in preventing him from ever performing at the Super Bowl halftime show.
In a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), the rapper wrote, “I never was allowed to do the Super Bowl because of three moments. George Bush don’t care about Black people. The Taylor Swift movement moment. Wearing a MAGA hat.”
West and Swift’s public clash dates back to the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, when he infamously interrupted her acceptance speech to claim that Beyoncé deserved the award instead. The rift deepened in 2016 when Kanye referenced Swift in his song “Famous,” a track she later said was used without her consent.
The rapper’s mention of his 2005 criticism of then-President George W. Bush — made during a live Hurricane Katrina telethon — and his embrace of Donald Trump’s politics with the red MAGA hat further illustrated what he believes are the key reasons he has been blacklisted from the NFL’s marquee music event.
In the same post, West attempted to frame the exclusion as a result of him being “ahead of my time.” He even referenced his widely condemned antisemitic remarks, insinuating that his actions prior to those comments — including his political affiliations — were enough to keep him from the Super Bowl stage.
West’s decision to pull Taylor Swift into the narrative has drawn criticism, with many pointing out that he appeared to shift blame away from his own actions and controversies. While Swift has not publicly responded to the renewed attack, the singer is widely known for sidestepping public spats — and fans expect her to continue doing so.