Monday, September 14, 2009

"R.E.S.P.E.C.T"

I have to touch on a story that will be forever remembered and never forgotten. I'm taking time to express my opinion because the subject is not going away and this influenced me in a big way. 

You all saw it coming, the subject for today is no surprise: Taylor vs. Kanye

Let me just say first, if you are one of the 2% that haven't seen Kanye West slaughter Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Female Video of The Year, take a look, then get back with us. 

I've never been the die-hard Taylor Swift fan, I admit. I listen to her on the radio, I think she's a great songwriter. Sometimes her vocals could stand a lesson or two during live performances but she's cute and I respect her. But I guarantee that I don't jump up and down on the couch when she's number one on CMT countdown. That said, I don't think anyone, ANYONE deserves to be belittled, pushed aside or interrupted during an awards show in Kanye-fashion. People are fans of different artists, that's the way it works. For the 10% of the world that didn't know Taylor or didn't like her before last night, they do now. I even have a soft spot in my heart that hurt when I watched that. Like Katy Perry said, "F*** you Kanye. It's like you stepped on a kitten." And it is. In Nashville, TN most of all, musicians are family. We stick together. Kanye West has stirred up a whole lot of trouble with the roughest, toughest, most countrified family on the block. Stars, celebs, fans, and family vented their rage via Twitter, etc. to convey their emotions. None were shocking, all were shocked, a lot of them wished they could punch him. 

Music is universal. You probably won't find one person who likes only country, only hip-hop, or only rock. We're humans, we hurt and music heals us. It was an honor for Taylor to be nominated in a category for the VMAs, it was an honor for her to win the category, and it is an honor to have her leading the pack for country music. You can't break down someone's spirit out of jealousy, it will only come back to haunt you. It seems funny that the person Kanye was defending, brought Swift back onstage to relive her 'moment'. Beyonce so gracefully gave Taylor a second chance to say her peace, and while doing so, TS got a standing ovation. So now, Kanye West, your fans and sales have decreased and Taylor Swift is still on top. I, personally, hope you feel an inch tall for a long time. You should probably delete the attempt at an apology you wrote because it was absolutely superficial and a new career might be a good thing to look into. Like I said, people in this industry stick together, and we are all banding together against you. You might still have your Jay Leno gig, but don't even think about stepping foot in Tennessee. 

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