Scooter Braun Slams Taylor Swift Amid Online Feud: 'I'm Not Going To Participate'
Nov. 21 2019, Published 9:58 p.m. ET
Scooter Braun is breaking his silence regarding his ongoing feud with Taylor Swift, telling fans he won't participate in the online madness.
RadarOnline.com readers know, Swift has been extremely vocal on social media about Braun and Scott Borchetta, bashing the two men over her old music rights, claiming they wouldn’t let her play those songs at the American Music Awards or in a new Netflix documentary.
The 29-year-old superstar has been outspoken about how furious she was when her old label, Big Machine Records, sold her music to Braun.
Meanwhile, the famous manager has remained mum on the matter — until now.
He acknowledged the topic while speaking at the 2019 Entertainment Industry Conference, co-sponsored by Variety and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. "I haven't talked about this in six months. Not once. I haven't made a statement about it," he said.
He explained, "I just think we live in a time of toxic division, and of people thinking that social media is the appropriate place to air out on each other and not have conversations. And I don't like politicians doing it. I don't like anybody doing it."
He added, "If that means that I've got to be the bad guy longer, I'll be the bad guy longer, but I'm not going to participate."
Braun also revealed his eagerness to have a "closed door" conversation with Swift to face the issue away from the public eye, adding he believes much of the controversy stems from "miscommunications," which he won't discuss publicly as he doesn't want to "add to the narrative."
Braun also revealed the highly publicized feud has had a negative impact on his life. "It's hard, because I can handle it pretty easily, but when it gets to a place where there's death threats and there's offices being called and people being threatened… it's gotten out of hand," he shares. "Right now we're in a scary time where people say things and then people might not be in the right mindset and do really horrible things. And we're inciting all of this by continuing these arguments in public. We just need to go behind closed doors and see if we can have a conversation. And if we're not having conversations, then I don't think we're going to find resolution."
As RadarOnline.com readers know, last week Swift took to social media to slam Braun and Borchetta.
“Guys it’s been announced recently that the American Music Awards will be honoring me with the Artist of the Decade Award at this year’s ceremony. I’ve been planning to perform a medley of my hits throughout the decades on the show. Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun have now said that I’m not allowed to perform my old songs on television because they claim that would be re-recording my music before I’m allowed to next year,” she wrote in a Tweet that she captioned: “Don’t know what else to do.”
Swift continued: “Additionally – and this isn’t the way I had planned on telling you this news – Netflix has created a documentary about my life for the past few years,” she said in bombshell confession for her fans.
But the news wasn’t good.
“Scott and Scooter have declined the use of my older music or performance footage for this project, even though there was no mention of either of them or a Big Machine Records anywhere in the film.”
The “Bad Blood” singer had immediate support, with the hashtag #ISupportTaylor trending on Twitter.
“Scott Borchetta told my team that they’ll allow me to use my music only if I do these things: if I agree to not re-record copy cat versions of my songs next year (which is something I am both legally allowed to do and looking forward to) and also told my team that I need to stop talking about him and Scooter Braun.”
Swift explained why she went public with the issue.
“I feel very strongly that sharing what is happening to me could change the awareness level for other artists and potentially help them avoid a similar fate.”
“The message being sent to me is very clear. Basically, be a good little girl and shut up. Or you’ll be punished. This is WRONG,” Swift wrote.
She detailed her reasons behind the fight.
“Neither of these men had a hand in the writing of the songs. They did nothing to create the relationship I have with my fans. So this is where I’m asking for your help. Please let Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun know how you feel about this.”
Swift seemed to call out Ariana Grande, who is repped by Braun, in her message and asked her fans to help her out too.
“Scooter also manages several artists who I really believe care about other artists and their work. Please ask them for help with this – I’m hoping that maybe they can talk some sense into the men who are exercising tyrannical control over someone who just wants to play the music she wrote.
“I’m especially asking for help from The Carlyle Group, who put up the money for the sale of my music to these two men.“
“I just want to be able to perform MY OWN music,” she wrote.
“That’s it. I’ve tried to work this out privately through my team but I’ve not been able to resolve anything. Right now my performance at the AMA’s, the Netflix documentary and any other recorded events I am planning to play until November 2020 are a question mark.
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