Kanye West gave a rambling, emotional and completely surprising acceptance speech at the MTV VMAs on Sunday night after Taylor Swift presented him with the Video Vanguard Award for lifetime achievement at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. West commanded the stage after more than a minute of cheers, setting down his trophy and proceeding to speak for more than 10 minutes. But first, Swift revealed that she and the 38-year-old West had been friends ever since he interrupted her to praise Beyoncé at the same awards show in 2009. “Imma let you finish,” she joked, repeating West’s famous, meme-launching line from that night, before announcing: “Kanye West has had one of the greatest careers of all time.”
He wants to be president?
Despite earlier proclaiming: “I’m not no politician bro!” West clearly stated he’s going to run for the biggest office in the country in 2020. Wow, we did not see that coming. And we really didn’t guess it by his speech, either, even though he said: “You’ve probably guessed by this moment.” Judging from the look on her face, neither did his wife Kim Kardashian. If he wins, by the way, she’ll be first lady.
He’s always been hardcore
The depths of West’s obsessive creativity are well documented, but in her speech Swift reminded an audience of millions just how devoted he his: “Many of you may not remember that Kanye West wrote and recorded his first single with his jaw wired shut after a car accident. Or how he spent years studying the craft and art of fashion and even learnt to sew before launching his very own line that has been wildly successful.”
Swifty’s been a fan for a looooong time
"Kanye West's album College Dropout was the very first album my brother and I bought on iTunes when I was 12 years old … I have been a fan of his since I can remember, because Kanye defines what it is to be a creative force in music, fashion and, well, life."
He goes to the grocery store
And that’s where he communes with regular folk, winning America over one person at a time with casual banter about the various goods for sale. “When I’m in the grocery store with my daughter and I have a really great conversation about fresh juice, you know, and they say: ‘You’re not that bad, after all.’”
He’s funny
On interrupting Swift: “I think if I had to do it all again, what would I do different? Would I wear a leather shirt? Would I have drank half a bottle of Hennessy and given the other half to the audience? Ya’ll know y’all drank that bottle, too.”
He’s not afraid to bite the hand that feeds him
On his encounter with Swift six years ago and MTV capitalising on it ahead of the 2015 VMAs: “You know how many times MTV ran that footage again? Because it got more ratings? Do you know how many times they announced Taylor was gonna give me this award? Because it got more ratings?”
Beige track pants and oversized T-shirts: fine for the evening.
He still gets really upset about awards shows
"I don't understand how they get five people who worked their entire lives, sold records, sold concert tickets and, for the first time in their lives, stand on a red carpet and be judged and put on the chopping block and have the opportunity to be considered a loser. I don't understand it, bro ... I sat at the Grammys and saw Justin Timberlake and CeeLo Green lose. Gnarls Barkley and the FutureSex/LoveSounds album, and bro, Justin, I'm not trying to put you on blast, but I saw that man in tears, bro. And I was thinking he deserved to win Album of the Year."
He cares what people think
“It crosses my mind a little bit, when I go to the baseball game and 60,000 people boo me, crosses my mind a little bit.” And later: “I’ve been conflicted, bro. I just wanted people to like me more.”
amcqueen@thenational.ae
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'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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MATCH INFO
Serie A
Juventus v Fiorentina, Saturday, 8pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
Full list of brands available for Instagram Checkout
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Anastasia Beverly Hills @anastasiabeverlyhills
Balmain @balmain
Burberry @burberry
ColourPop @colourpopcosmetics
Dior @dior
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Huda Beauty @hudabeautyshop
KKW @kkwbeauty
Kylie Cosmetics @kyliecosmetics
MAC Cosmetics @maccosmetics
Michael Kors @michaelkors
NARS @narsissist
Nike @niketraining & @nikewomen
NYX Cosmetics @nyxcosmetics
Oscar de la Renta @oscardelarenta
Ouai Hair @theouai
Outdoor Voices @outdoorvoices
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Revolve @revolve
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Warby Parker @warbyparker
Zara @zara
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30-December 2, at The Sevens, Dubai
Gulf Under 19
Pool A – Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jumeirah College Tigers, Dubai English Speaking School 1, Gems World Academy
Pool B – British School Al Khubairat, Bahrain Colts, Jumeirah College Lions, Dubai English Speaking School 2
Pool C - Dubai College A, Dubai Sharks, Jumeirah English Speaking School, Al Yasmina
Pool D – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Deira International School
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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