The Kardashians' 10 Most Savage Clapbacks

No one claps back like the Kardashians.

Jul 19, 2016
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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

It was Malcolm Gladwell who wrote about a person logging 10,000 hours of practicing your craft before you could be deemed an expert. In these hours, you fail, try again and eventually succeed. No matter the skill, it’s impossible to earn these hours quickly, it takes time, but there is a payoff once you hit that quota. It makes sense then that the Kardashian/Jenner core has been able to publicly respond to haters in a way that shakes our nation to its very core—they’ve put in the practice. 

Just by virtue of there being so many of them, each family member has had a moment to shine in the press as they’ve publicly hit back at insults hurled at them by publications, other celebrities, haters, or even themselves. Each response, or clapback, has gotten more skilled, more honed, more savage. Time is put into expertly dragging their enemies clear across the concrete surface of the internet. I’m sure masterclasses are taught in Kris Jenner’s home, her children learning when using all caps is effective or just plain out of line, when adding a “haha” negates your insult or adds an air of whimsy. The 10,000 hours of clapback practice clocked by the Kardashians has undoubtedly made them experts in this very tricky, nuanced craft. Which is why it’s a pleasure and an honor to present to you the greatest and most impactful clapbacks to come from the Kardashian/Jenner family. 

 

10. North West vs. The Paparazzi

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Savage Scale: 2/10

In our novice section, we have three-year-old North West. Here, North, before even growing a full set of teeth or the ability to walk across a parking lot without an adult, serves a full moment of you could never. Owning her image and mocking the job of the paparazzi, this child scolds them: "I said no pictures." Forcing these adults, who are taking photos of a minor without her parent present, to come to grips with the nature and course of their life—that’s actually pretty coldblooded. All of this executed by a three-year-old. In the house of West, you must learn quickly.

9. Kim Kardashian vs. Seen/Unseen Haters

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Savage Scale: 3/10

This is one of Kim Kardashian West's most all encompassing clap backs. On the heels of announcing her second pregnancy in 2015, Wendy Williams accused Kim of lying and hiring a surrogate to carry both of her kids. Kimberly, not new to the game but reemerging as the best at it, hit back with these tweets:

Kimberly not only addressed the surrogate comment and denied it, but also warned others who might talk out of the side of their mouths about her or her body. Look how eager she is—she "can't wait," because she knows haters are always lurking and in constant need of straightening out.

8. Kim Kardashian vs. Adrienne Bailon

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Savage Scale: 4/10

It's hard to believe, but there was a time when Kim and her family were new to the clapback game. Travel back in time with me to 2014. That year, former friend of the family and ex-girlfriend of Rob Kardashian, Adrienne Bailon, deigned to express that her dwindling fame had to do with her association with the Kardashian family. Obviously this didn't sit well with Kim, who took to Twitter to take a full palm to Adrienne's face, saying:

What we have here is first, Kim's pretty vicious point that the only reason Adrienne was even able to talk out of turn was because of the Kardashian name. Things take a turn, though, when Kim references Frozen. Breaking this down, Kim is highlighting fact that she knows the lyrics to Frozen because she has a child, who serves as a token of how she's moved on from her past. Additionally, by directing the "Let It Go" quote at Adrienne, Kim is reducing Adrienne's mental capacity to that of a child. Whew, Jesus. 

7. Kylie Jenner vs. Blac Chyna

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Savage Scale: 4.5/10

This clapback is important for a variety of reasons. Mainly because it pulled back the curtain on the drama surrounding Kylie Jenner, Blac Chyna, and noted predator and dumpster diver Tyga. Another key part of this clapback is Kylie's willingness to participate—rare, because she truly hates to be involved in drama. However, baby girl was fed up. It started when Blac Chyna, out of the clear blue (#noTM) sky posted a photo of a watch her ex and Kylie's captor, Tyga, gave her in 2013. Without missing a beat, Kylie responded.

In essence, Kylie wanted Blac Chyna and the world to realize that Chyna is a #TBT and Kylie is a #CURRENTLY. A bold move on Kylie's part, particularly because it brings more attention to the fact that Tyga is the most unapologetic regifter there is.

6. Khloé Kardashian vs. Amber Rose

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Savage Scale: 5/10

Making her first appearance on our list is Khloé Kardashian and her clapback master class against Amber Rose. The best parts about Khloé's clapbacks are her impulsive, unreptentent, and possibly untrue remarks towards her enemy. What Khloé doesn't have is the time to fact check her insults or break down how her insults are actually lifting up the other person and proving their point. Still, no matter her methods, they remain effective. After Amber told a radio show that Kylie is a child and should be in bed by 7 p.m. instead of dating a grown man with a child, Khloé was quick to point out that Amber was a stripper at 15. Khloé then also asked Amber to keep the Kardashian/Jenner name out out her mouth.

In the end, Amber won the Clapback Olympics, but that doesn’t erase the fact that Khloé threw some good punches.

5. Kim Kardashian vs. Chloë Grace Moretz, Bette Midler, and Piers Morgan

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Savage Scale: 6/10

In this series of epic clapbacks, Kim grew her wings. After posting a very tame nude selfie (see above), certain celebrities just couldn't seem to get control of their vehicle and stay in their lane when it came to commenting on Kim’s body. Those celebrities happened to be Bette Midler, Piers Morgan, and Chloë Grace Moretz. Each had comments, offering to buy her clothes and asking her to understand that she’s more than just her body. And for each comment, Kim had a clapback:

4. Rob Kardashian vs. Kim Kardashian

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Savage Scale: 7.5/10 (Because an out of the blue clapback is the absolute worst. We’re never safe.​)

In a stunning turn of events, sleeper agent Rob Kardashian cracks the top 10. No, his everyday actions and relationship choices aren’t a clapback against his family and upbringing, but his pointed calling out of his most famous sister is. In spring of last year, when we hadn’t seen Rob’s face in months, he took to his Instagram to upload a bloody photo of Rosamund Pike as Amazing Amy and captioned it, “this is my sister Kim, the bitch from Gone Girl.” No context, no clues. Rob had clearly seen some things in his Calabasas community that he didn’t like and just had to speak on it. The image he posted, though, is working overtime, because it paints Kim as a ruthless savage who is willing to go to great lengths to get what she wants. My guess is that Rob wants the world to know that his sister’s greatest strength is also her greatest and most foul flaw.

3. Kris Jenner vs. Kim Kardashian

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Savage Scale: 9/10

Ah, and now for our matriarch. On this current season of Keeping Up with the Kardashains, Kris Jenner’s daughters tried to come for their mother’s support of Rob and his new relationship with Blac Chyna. Not having any of it, and showing them who created the mold, Kris runs down a list of “shit” she’s had to put up with from her daughters. Most impressively, she looks Kim right in the eyes and mocks, “‘I was married for 72 days.’ Oh really? That was normal.” MY GOD. When you have the know-how to come for your kids in an honest yet ruthless way, you clearly have a PhD and many honorary degrees in the art of shade.

2. Khloé Kardashian vs. Chloë Grace Moretz

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Savage Scale: 9.5/10, because buttholes are so, so petty

If each Kardashian-Jenner represented one part of the human body, Khloé would be the mouth. As explained in an earlier ranked clapback of hers, Khloé is quick to speak on an issue without first deciphering the facts. So, when Chloë Grace Moretz once again inserting herself into the Kardashian narrative this past Sunday, Khloé found the nearest weapon and cast it against the upcoming actress. Chloë basically called out the Kimye vs. Taylor feud as petty, asking the people of Twitter to get their “heads out of a hole” and focus on what’s “ACTUALLY happening in the REAL world,” to which Khloé responded with the below.

Now, it’s been proven that the image on the right is not Chloë Grace Moretz’s butthole, but instead the butthole of an innocent civilian. Yet, Khloé’s error is why the clapback is so powerful. As the saying goes, "Tweets > Facts." It's also a pretty harsh warning to anyone who's tempted to come after the Kardashians: do so at your own risk, because Khloé is not afraid to GO THERE.

1. Kim Kardashian vs. Taylor Swift

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Savage Scale: 10s across the goddamn board

Here we have the greatest clapback this side of the millennium; a clapback that has festered for seven years; a clapback that was inevitable; a clapback that grew teeth overnight; a clapback that takes patience, timing and a production crew; a clapback that Kimberly Noel Kardashian West teased for a full 24 hours before the it actually commenced; a clapback that would expose Taylor Swift to be the biggest liar of our generation. 

Kimberly began her clapback prep work in the early afternoon of July 17, 2016, tweeting a word the world would come to call her between sundown of that day:

Next, she acknowledged National Snake Day, a day celebrating the animal that Taylor Swift detractors had been spamming the starlet with for nearly a week. The best part is that National Snake Day was actually the day prior, but every day is National Snake Day when you’re exposing Taylor Swift. (Also, note the clever "everybody, I mean everything" switch):

Moving on, while her television show Keeping Up with the Kardashians aired, Kim tweeted the following. The first tweet happily noticed the excitement from fans who got to see Kanye’s studio process and the second clarified that truth telling does not equal shade. Noted, Kimberly.

Then, right before the finale, Kim urged her fans to follow her on Snapchat, a platform she rarely uses.

Onto the main event! Kimberly Noel Kardashian West hitched former pop star Taylor Swift’s career, credibility, and image to a wagon and dragged it from Calabasas to the deepest depths of hell as she released the footage of Taylor openly agreeing to and re-writing the lyrics in Kanye West’s controversial song, "Famous." No one expected this. We thought the dance of “does it or does it now exist” would continue on for years. But, God. But, Kim! What a sight to behold.

Khloe KardashianKim KardashianKris JennerNorth WestKardashiansFeatures

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