Did They Throw Shade at Bey & Jay? Let's Discuss

On Monday, Kim Kardashian posted a photo of herself on Instagram. Now I know what you're probably thinking, "Kim Kardashian posts a photo of herself on Instagram every day, and a lot of times, several times per day." This latest photo is different though. The photo, which shows Kim Kardashian and Kanye West kissing in an elevator, got the Bustle office all atwitter. Was it a regular old Kardashian Instagram showing her incessant need to photograph herself? Or was it something more sinister? Was Kimye throwing shade at Beyoncé and Jay Z by bringing up elevatorgate in the midst of rumors that their marriage is falling apart? No! Yes! Of course they aren't, Kim just likes anything with a reflective surface! Of course they are, Kim and Kanye are conniving! We were an office divided.

In order to settle this issue, we decided to turn to two of our entertainment writers, Casey Rackham and Nicole Fabian-Weber, who would each argue for their side of the issue. Below, Casey takes on #TeamShade and argues that Kimye was totally dissing Bey Z, while Nicole went for #TeamNoShade and thinks there's no way Kimye would go there. Check out the photographic evidence and their opinions, then decide for yourself.

Kimye Was Totally Throwing Shade — Casey Rackham

Psh, I'm definitely #TeamShade. There is absolutely no way that Miss Everything-Has-To-Be-About-Me-All-Of-The-Time Kardashian wasn't thinking about the infamous elevator scandal when she snapped this pic. It's just hitting way too close to home. Sure, they could have casually been sneaking a kiss while they were alone — I mean, she loves taking photos of herself and Kanye, anyways — but I'm sure the memory of the elevator fight was not far from the front of her mind. And adding on the fact that we all know Kim loves to show how #blessed her life is, this was pretty much the perfect chance for her to not-so-slyly prove that Kimye is the better power couple.

Now I'm not saying that elevator-kiss photos should be banned just because of what happened with Beyoncé, Solange, and Jay Z, but it should be banned for Kimye. Aren't they supposed to be besties with the power-singing couple? Considering what happened to their "friends" during the elevator fiasco, it seems inconsiderate that they would rub their PDA and happy marriage in their faces during a time when divorce rumors are flying left and right. And although this pic was probably more Kim's idea than Kanye's idea, it's still a low blow to Bey and Jay that Kanye would go along with it. Sure, this could all just be an innocent couple pic, but, come on... it's not.

Kim Throwing Beyoncé Elevator Shade? Pshaw! — Nicole Fabian-Weber

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Are Kim and Kanye never supposed to set foot in an elevator again? Are they never supposed to kiss again? Are they never supposed to kiss in an elevator and take a photo of themselves doing so and post it to the Internet again? What country are we living in?!

I certainly don’t doubt that Kim has thrown Beyoncé a little shade in the past, but this right here? This is nothing more than Kim being Kim and taking what otherwise should be a private moment with her husband and making it public. If anything, this shot was more a means to combat her divorce rumors than a way of twisting the elevatorgate knife surely still snuggly residing somewhere in Beyoncé's gut or heart. Kim and Kanye would be fools to go there with Jay Z and Beyoncé — not to mention truly terrible friends.

Sure, some of the things Kim does are as calculated as the day is long, but at her core, she's just a girl who loves taking photos of herself and sharing them with the world. Is that everyone's cup of tea? Thank sweet baby Jesus, no. But it certainly doesn't make her a nasty and vindictive person. And if for some reason I'm wrong and this does turn out to be a passive-aggressive swipe at Bey — you best watch out, Kim. Solange is coming for you next.

Image: Kim Kardashian/Instagram