Kanye West clears up Grammys antics, hints at Taylor Swift team-up

Everyone’s favorite level-headed cultural critic called into Ryan Seacrest’s radio show today to clear a few things up about the Grammys — and to hint at a super-powered pop team-up that may be in the works. Taylor Swift “wants to get in the studio and we’re definitely going to do that,” West teases. And he also says Swift is something of a troublemaker when it comes to him interrupting Beck’s acceptance speech: “Taylor Swift came up to me right afterwards, literally right afterwards, and tells me that I should have went on stage. This is the irony of my life,” he says.

It wasn’t just Swift, either. “Right when that happened, everybody was looking at me, then people started [chanting my name],” he explains of his Grammys stage-rush. “OK, this didn’t really happen, those were voices in my head.” So, it’s official. The voices made him do it. As for why he keeps rushing the stage on Beyonce’s behalf instead the singer herself? “I believe she didn’t move and run to the stage because she’s a respectful individual,” he explains. “But because she’s so successful, a lot of times success disables your ability to communicate exactly what the f— you want to say.” So … yeah.

But he doesn’t want people to think he was saying Beck isn’t a great artist. “When I said that thing about artistry, I think it came off the wrong way and that was a miss-wording on my part. Obviously, Beck is one of the most respected artists and respects artistry,” he says. He’s also not planning to attend the Grammys next year unless some major changes to the voting system “to be more in accord with the popular vote.”

He also has some things to say about the fashion world and breaking down class barriers and punking rich folks and what he talks to Obama about. It’s really worth a listen:

Follow Ned Ehrbar on Twitter: @nedrick