Metal guitarist Gary Holt of Exodus, Slayer defends Taylor Swift: 'Why all the hate?'
Gary Holt may be a rock ‘n’ roll connoisseur, but he has his pop convictions.
The thrash metal guitarist, best known for his work in the bands Exodus and Slayer, gave his take on pop superstar Taylor Swift during a recent appearance on the “Scandalous Podcast.”
When asked by host Ashley Steinmetz to address the "Taylor Swift problem," Holt defended the “Fortnight” singer.
"I love Taylor Swift. Why all the hate?" Holt said on the July 16 episode. "She's an extraordinarily hard worker. She's super (expletive) nice to everybody, and people hate her."
He added: "She's just the biggest popstar on Earth, and more power to her. I like the songs. I love pop."
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Holt also gave kudos to Swift for her involvement in her songwriting.
"Taylor writes everything. And so, I give her credit,” Holt said. “She's a songwriter. And some of these other people, they require massive teams."
Gary Holt calls Beyoncé the ‘most overrated talent on Earth’
While making his case for Swift’s songwriting credibility, Holt criticized pop icon Beyoncé for her numerous collaborators.
"Beyoncé will put out a song, and there’s 30 (expletive) people on it. How can 30 people write a song, all gathered together?” Holt said. “It’s just like a factory of songwriting. Who even knows who did what anymore when there’s like 20 names on it.”
The metal musician also took a shot at Beyoncé’s daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, and her nascent music career.
“Her daughter got a songwriting credit and a Grammy because she probably threw some (expletive) kindergarten rhyme on one line,” Holt said. “She now has one-seventh the Grammys (that) Prince − the greatest artist that ever was or ever will be − ever got.”
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Carter collaborated with Beyoncé, as well as Saint Jhn and Wizkid, on the 2019 song “Brown Skin Girl.” She is not listed as a songwriter on the R&B track.
The song’s music video won Carter a Grammy Award for best music video in 2021.
"I think Beyoncé is the most overrated talent on Earth,” Holt concluded. “I think she’s marginally talented."