Does MTV Outburst Make Kanye West A Toxic Endorsement?

Kanye West stunned a packed Radio City Music Hall last night, barging on stage to grab the microphone from unsuspecting teen star Taylor Swift. Country singer Swift was mid-sentence accepting the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. West, obviously bothered by Beyoncé Knowles's loss to Swift, told the astonished crowd, "I'm sorry, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time."

West's erratic, loutish behavior has become his trademark, with notable outbursts at the 2007 MTV VMA's, 2006 MTV Europe VMA's, scuffles with paparazzi and even on his blog. While West has carefully crafted a fashionable personal style, the "Louis Vuitton Don" has tainted his brand and jeopardized endorsement deals with a temperamental, difficult-to-work-with reputation. 

West's prior tirades have come after the singer suffered perceived slights, like failing to win an award in 2007. This time, his onstage antics defending Knowles, and in the process bullying Swift, make even less sense. No longer can he be viewed as merely an overly sensitive artist: last night's behavior made him seem unbalanced -- and, considering Swift's youth and status as country music's reigning darling, as a bully.

The outburst certainly threatens the rapper's existing endorsement deals and ability to attract new partners, but it's not entirely toxic to his business. Rumors swirled in 2008 that West had begun anger management training at the suggestion of his management, as corporations expressed concern over West's disposition.

The outlook for West is not completely bleak, according to The Daily Beast's Choire Sicha: West has increased his profile and accomplished what other entertainers failed to do at last night's award show: elicit a visceral reaction from the public. "Everything and everyone was upstaged by Kanye—because it was one of the few moments the audience could feel anything."

The online response -- on Twitter, blogs, and YouTube -- was immediate; a video mashing up West interrupting President Obama was making the rounds. West accepted responsibility for his actions -- though typically, he sabotaged his apology. Americans love a redemption act, as Madonna's opening VMA tribute to Michael Jackson reminds us, and West has already captivated their attention with last night's "performance." If he shows more sincere contrition, West may yet emerge from this "controversy" with greater cachet in his brand.