feuds

Scooter Braun Begs Taylor Swift for an ‘Open Discussion’ Following Death Threats

Braun got his start by discovering Justin Bieber. Photo: Michael Tran/Getty Images

Scooter Braun wants Taylor Swift to keep his name out of her mouth for fear of death threats. The music manager who bought all of Taylor Swift’s masters earlier this year wrote an open letter (open Instagram post?) telling Swift that he and his family have been getting death threats as a result of their feud. Swift, who knows a thing or two about having her life threatened, has publicly called out Scooter Braun multiple times since he bought her entire catalog (sans Lover) in a deal with her former manager, Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Label Group. Most recently, Taylor Swift’s own open letter pleaded with Braun and Borchetta to let her use her old music for the American Music Awards and a Netflix documentary. After a back-and-forth, with both sides pointing the finger, there’s currently no remedy. One this is for sure: Scooter Braun would like you to know he’s a victim here, too.

This morning I spoke out publicly for the first time saying I wouldn’t participate in a social media war,” Braun began in a letter posted on Instagram. “However I came home tonight to find my wife had received a phone call threatening the safety of our children as well as other threats seen above. I won’t go into the details of the past week. I have been at a loss.”

So, to hash this out once and for all, he asks Taylor Swift to privately mediate with him, since she allegedly has not made any attempt to have an “open discussion” over the last six months. He also includes a screenshot of one aforementioned death threat. “While I am frustrated with your accusations and respectfully disagree with many of your statements, it is important I am clear — no artist should ever feel cornered or bullied,” he added.

Funny he should say “bullied” considering Taylor Swift’s initial reaction to Big Machine’s purchase was because she felt Scooter Braun had used his artists (namely, Kanye West, his wife, Kim Kardashian West, and Justin Bieber) to bully her. Braun, who previously made a move invented by Swift, seems to be taking not just a page from her book, but a whole chapter. Will Taylor Swift try to mediate with a man — sorry, The Man” — she thinks orchestrated her suffering?

Scooter Braun Begs Taylor Swift for an ‘Open Discussion’