LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Pop stars slammed Kanye West on Monday after the rapper shocked the MTV Video Music Awards by crashing the stage during teen star Taylor Swift's acceptance speech.

West stunned audience members during Sunday's extravaganza in New York after rising country star Swift, 19, won a statuette for best female video for her hit song "You Belong With Me."

Swift had just started speaking when West abruptly cut in and declared that he felt the award should have gone to R'n'B star Beyonce.

"Taylor, I'm really happy for you, and I'm gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time," West said, to a chorus of boos.

Beyonce, who looked clearly embarrassed by the outburst, later invited Swift to share the stage with her after receiving her own award.

However it did little to stem a chorus of condemnation directed at West by other music world figures.

Singer Pink registered her disapproval with a tweet on micro-blogging site Twitter. "My heart goes out to Taylor Swift. She is a sweet and talented girl and deserved her moment. She should know we all love her," Pink said. Another post used abusive language to disparage West.

A post from singer Katy Perry meanwhile said West's outburst was comparable to "stepping on a kitten."

And singer Kelly Clarkson took aim at West with a post on her official blog. "What happened to you as a child?'" Did you not get hugged enough?'"," Clarkson wrote. "I just pity you because you're a sad human being."

West issued an apology for his tirade on a blog, but the post had been removed from his site early Monday.

"I'm sooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mom. I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would've said," West said. "I'm in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment! Beyonce's video was the best of this decade.

"I'm sorry to my fans if I let you guys down."