Is Kanye West messing with his own clique? The rapper and wife Kim Kardashian were spotted hanging with some unlikely friends — Chris Brown and girlfriend Karrueche Tran — at Teyana Taylor‘s listening party in Hollywood on Monday, Oct. 20, the eve of Kardashian’s 34th birthday.
Yeezy, 37, was on hand to toast Taylor’s debut album, VII, which is being released by West’s record label, G.O.O.D. Music, and Island Def Jam Music Group. Brown and Tran were among those in the crowd, which also included Big Sean, Nelly, and YG.
The “Bound 2” rapper and his reality star wife, who turned 34 on Oct. 21, posed with Rihanna‘s ex, 25, and his on-again girlfriend, 26, inside the event. West and Brown have collaborated in the past — most notably on the “Deuces” remix in 2010 — but it’s been a while since the last time they were seen hanging out.
In 2013, though, Brown tweeted some advice to West, telling him to “hire some security…to take care of the bulls–t” so he wouldn’t get in any more trouble with the paparazzi.
Both stars have had more than their share of troubles in the past, but they were in the mood to celebrate on Monday. “This is about artistry and fighting for artists to get their visions out, like it says in the name of the label, Getting Out Our Dreams,” West said in a speech at the listening session.
“It’s a collective of motherf—ers who believe in real music, and there’s never been someone on the label that has had to take something into her hands quite as much as this girl has had to do,” he continued of Taylor. “So I really want y’all to give her credit for fighting against an entire system…I’m just really proud to see her tonight, dropping her album. We had to fight for this.”
