Beck says he’s cool with Kanye West despite Grammy rant

MANILA, Philippines – Beck said that he still respects Kanye West despite the rapper’s stage storm and post-Grammy comments. (READ: IN PHOTOS: Best dressed at the 2015 Grammys)

In an interview with Us Weekly, Beck said he wasn’t mad about Kanye’s stage act. “I was just so excited he was coming up. He deserves to be on stage as much as anybody. How many great records has he put out in the last five years right?” 

Beck, who won Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 8 (Monday, February 9 in Manila) beat out other candidates Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Pharrell, and Beyonce. Kanye then jokingly attempted to interrupt the singer a la VMAs 2009 but instead stopped, smiled, and returned to his seat. (READ: Grammys turn into stage for activism)

While the stage storm was merely a joke, the rapper later commented that his almost-interruption was an act of protest.  

“I just know that the Grammys, if they want real artists to keep coming back, they need to stop playing with us. We ain’t gonna play with them no more. And Beck needs to respect artistry and he should’ve given his award to Beyonce,” he shared with E!.

Beck, however, was also not offended by the rapper’s post-Grammys diss, and even said that he expected Beyonce to win. “I thought she was going to win. Come on, she’s Beyonce! . . . You can’t please everybody, man. I still love [West] and think he’s genius. I aspire to do what he does,” Beck is quoted as saying in a report from Rolling Stone. (READ: Kristen Wiig dances for Sia at the Grammys)

Beck is not the first victim of Kanye’s infamous stage storms. In 2009, Kanye stormed the stage in protest of Taylor Swift’s win for Best Female Music Video over Beyonce at the MTV Video Music Awards. But the two have since buried the hatchet. (READ: IN PHOTOS: Red carpet, Grammys 2015)  – Rappler.com

Kanye West photo from Shutterstock