Taylor Swift Subtly Taunts Kanye West After Denying Him a 12th No. 1 Album
The longstanding feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West has taken another dramatic turn as Swift appears to be taunting West after her album, The Tortured Poets Department, blocked his latest project from reaching No. 1 on the charts. The pop star made headlines on Thursday (August 15) by releasing yet another digital version of her hit album, featuring a live version of the song “Thank You Aimee.” This new version, with its stylized title “thank You aimEe,” seemingly emphasizes the letters “Y” and “E” — a subtle nod to Kanye’s name.
This isn’t the first time Taylor has used stylization in a way that fans believe references her ongoing rivalry with Kanye. A previous version of the album had the letters “KIM” capitalized in the title “thanK you aIMee,” which many took as a reference to Kanye’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.
The release of Swift’s new version of The Tortured Poets Department comes on the heels of a significant chart victory over Kanye West. Last week, Swift’s album climbed back to the top of the Billboard 200, preventing Kanye’s latest project, Vultures 2 — a collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign — from debuting at No. 1.
Vultures 2 garnered 107,000 equivalent units in its first week, but it was outpaced by Swift’s album, which accumulated 142,000 units in its 14th week on the charts. This marks a major milestone for Swift, as her album continues to dominate while Kanye missed out on his 12th No. 1 album. It’s also Kanye’s first album since his 2004 debut The College Dropout that didn’t debut atop the Billboard 200.
Had Vultures 2 hit No. 1, it would have pushed Kanye up to fourth place on the list of artists with the most No. 1 albums. Despite the setback, Kanye’s release stirred emotions within Swift’s camp.
One of the standout moments on Vultures 2 was the track “Lifestyle,” featuring a guest verse from Lil Wayne. In the song, Lil Wayne raps: “Ice up in my veins, old flames tryna melt me / I twist my Taylor spliffs tight at the end like Travis Kelce.” This line caught the attention of Ed Kelce, the father of Swift’s boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce.
In response, Ed Kelce took to Facebook, sharing a Daily Mail article about the song and expressing his frustration with Kanye, despite the lyrics being delivered by Lil Wayne. Kelce wrote: “Mental illness on full display,” taking a direct jab at West.
Taylor Swift’s producer Jack Antonoff also joined in the criticism. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Antonoff didn’t hold back when discussing Kanye. “I’m a little bitch sometimes,” he admitted. “But you come after my friend Taylor, you’re toast to me.”
He further elaborated, saying: “It’s been a long time since I would’ve taken Kanye’s call. I’m so incredibly bored when someone doesn’t have the sauce anymore, so they go elsewhere to shock. It’s just a remarkable waste of space.”
The rivalry between Taylor Swift and Kanye West is far from over, with each new chapter adding to the drama between the two global superstars. Swift’s subtle stylization of her album titles, coupled with her chart success, sends a clear message: she remains at the top of her game, both musically and in the ongoing battle of wits with Kanye West. As tensions continue to simmer, fans and observers alike are eager to see what the next move in this enduring feud will be.
