Scooter Braun Swats Down Taylor Swift Vigilante S–t Theory
Oh, fantastic. Another rumor swirling in the wasteland of celebrity logic, this time claiming that Scooter Braun inspired Taylor Swift’s revenge anthem “Vigilante S–t.” The music executive, who managed A-listers and sparked long-running disputes, has finally put this particular theory to bed. During the July 17 episode of the Question Everything podcast, Braun made it crystal clear that the song has nothing to do with his split from ex-wife Yael Cohen.
Look, I don’t want to be the one to point out the obvious, but Braun and Cohen still get along like old best friends. The 44-year-old noted that he and Yael talk every day, laugh together, and refuse to use the term “ex.” “She’s the mother of my children,” he explained, reminding listeners of kids Jagger, 9, Levi, 7, and Hart, 5. In fact, he got a matching tattoo on his finger that reads “same team” to seal the deal on lifelong co-parenting harmony.
In contrast, Taylor’s 2022 track “Vigilante S–t,” dropped on her Midnights album, tells a darker story of a scorned lover seeking payback. Lyrics like “Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife” ignited speculation that the singer was commenting on Braun’s 2021 divorce from Cohen. Fans pointed to Taylor’s public feud over her masters and assumed she was celebrating a cinematic cat-and-mouse win against her former label owner.
Let’s break down the background, because you know we need context. In 2019, Braun’s Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Records, securing Swift’s first six albums masters and triggering her famous master-ownership crusade. Swift later accused Braun of “stripping her of her life’s work.” Those lines seemed to echo in “Vigilante S–t” when she sang about “cold hard proof” and envelopes full of evidence, fueling the rumor mill across social media and fan forums.
Fast forward to May 30, when Taylor announced she had repurchased her masters from Shamrock Capital. In a letter on her website, she praised the new owners for being “honest, fair, and respectful,” and joked about getting a shamrock forehead tattoo. The swap finally freed her from any ties to Braun’s former stewardship.
So did Scooter inspire the song? According to Braun himself, absolutely not. “Great strategy move, but no,” he dismissed the idea, pointing out that he never thought Taylor had him in mind. At this point, it’s safe to file the whole scenario under “creative license meets gossip hysteria.”
And that, dear reader, is why we can’t have nice things.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, Question Everything podcast, Taylor Swift official website
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
