Why was Kanye West even at the Grammys?

KANYE WEST made a rare public appearance at the 2025 Grammy Awards, following years of assault allegations, lawsuits, and discriminatory online rants. The artist, who now goes by Ye, walked the carpet with his wife, Bianca Censori, who wore a revealing stocking dress. Rumours have swirled since the carpet closed that West and Censori were escorted off the premises, having not been invited to the telecast. Speaking to a source close to the Grammys, Variety has refuted those claims. Instead, they write, West “walked the carpet, got in his car and left.”

His attendance at the ceremony followed two days of feverish activity on social media. It included a now-deleted X post sexualising former vice president Kamala Harris and a post of his private texts with Elon Musk. Prior to the event, he also unfollowed everyone on Instagram, with the exception of Taylor Swift. He has years of issues with Swift, dating all the way back to the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

West was nominated this evening for Best Rap Song for “Carnival” alongside Ty Dolla $ign, Rick the Kid, and Playboi Carti. The track, which released via his latest album, Vultures 2, lost to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” during the preshow awards presentation.

West mentioned Swift’s name yet again on another song from Vultures 2, titled “Lifestyle (Demo).” He rapped, “I twist my Taylor spliffs tight at the end like Travis Kelce.” Neither Swift nor her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, has responded publicly to the line. The two artists were at the same event for the first time since the 2015 VMAs – on what may be a(nother) massive night for Swift. The singer is currently nominated for what could be a record-setting fifth Album of the Year award for The Tortured Poets Department.

West famously interrupted Swift during her victory speech for Best Female Video at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. That night, Swift’s “You Belong with Me” won the trophy over Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies.” West didn’t agree with the choice. He marched onto the stage at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and snatched the microphone out of Swift’s hands. “Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish,” he said, “but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!”

The feud between the two artists resurfaced again on West’s “Famous” in 2016. The rapper spoke about Swift on the track, stating that he “made that b***h famous.” He later claimed that Swift gave him permission to say the line, which the pop singer vehemently denied.

Since then, West has come under fire time and time again for controversial statements evoking anti-Semitism, sexism, and other hateful remarks. As he has since re-followed his wife on social media, it appears that the unexpected appearance may be the only antic West had planned Sunday night.

This story originally appeared on Esquire US.

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