15 Times Kanye West Turned Up For Artistry

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On October 20, 2014, Kanye West commandeered the microphone at Teyana Taylor’s listening session for her new album, VII. And if you’re familiar with Mr. West, it’s not the first time he’s let his passion for something boil over and manifest itself in a politically incorrect way.

photo: WENN

The rants, going off script and general turning up that helped him secure an adidas deal and make inroads in the high fashion community aren’t exactly boosting his Q-rating. Here are 15 times Kanye West turned up for artistry.

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Photo: WENN

photo: WENN

In February of 2005, Kanye stormed out of the 32nd annual Grammy Awards after losing to Gretchen Wilson in the Best New Artist category. Wilson’s Here For The Party beat College Dropout for the award.

So that 2010 apology to Matt Lauer on the Today show didn’t quite end on a high note. After flipping on Lauer when the 2009 Taylor Swift incident was replayed during their interview, West took to Twitter accusing Lauer and NBC of manipulating him

photo: WENN

Taylor Swift wasn’t the first person to fall victim to the Kanye West award show bumrush. He interrupted the group Justice onstage during the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards when his “Touch The Sky” video lost to the Justice and Simian collaboration, “We Are Your Friends.”

Kanye West took the pulpit at the 2013 listening event for Pusha T’s My Name Is My Name album with a classic rant. Do remember, “Everything is Pusha T!

photo: WENN

Maybe Kanye and MTV need to give each other a break. West was captured having a meltdown backstage at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards when he was relegated to the Palms Hotel’s Hugh Hefner Sky Villa and not on the main stage for his performance.

It started with some sophomoric name-calling via Twitter, but his 2013 Jimmy Kimmel Live! interview featured what was arguably Kanye West’s most articulate turn up about creatives standing up and protecting their dreams.

photo: WENN

When a Paparazzo allegedly disrespected Kanye West at LAX, West said he had just found out his grandfather was dying. As he later told another photographer, it wasn’t about celebrity status but basic human respect and empathy.

West says his infamous bumrushing of Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards was about artistry and respect. He was labeled racist, sexist and a bully by some, so only West knows exactly what point he was trying to make when he hopped on stage.

photo: WENN

During his performance at the 2014 Budweiser Made In America Fest, Kanye West called out Saturday Night Live performer and comic Jay Pharaoh for spoofing him. Kanye clearly doesn’t like being spoofed.

photo: WENN

There was no talk of molly or croissants on “New Slaves.” It was just the righteous indignation of class warfare and institutionalized racism…a righteous turn up in the name of art if there ever was one.

His exchange with Sway Calloway on Sway In The Morning produced the second-best quote behind “I’ma let you finish.” Ultimately, it seems West was trying to prove none of us understood the difficulty and motivation behind breaking into high fashion.

Kanye probably needed to either apologize or do a better job of explaining his motives at a September 2014 concert in Australia, because he came out looking like he shamed a wheelchair-bound fan.

photo: WENN

Pick a rant…any rant. Kanye has gone off on radio disc jockeys, the paparazzi, President Obama, and the fashion industry during his high-octane “motivational speeches.”

During Teyana Taylor’s VII album listening session, Kanye West revealed both Big Sean and Pusha T were once in danger of being dropped by their label. He went on to say the media was trying to control him and compare himself to Michael Jackson.

Another articulate and well-timed turn up happened during Kanye West’s 2013 interview with Zane Lowe. He blasted the inclusive nature of the fashion industry and revealed why his deal with Nike fell through.