Kanye West -- When I Insinuated Beck Wasn't a Real Artist I Meant ... (VIDEO)

Kanye West now says he was not suggesting Beck wasn't a "real artist" when he ranted an ultimatum that "real artists" might boycott the Grammys .. but it sure sounds like that's what he was saying.

Kanye, Kim and North West arrived in NYC Monday and he insisted he was not disrespecting Beck when he jumped on stage after Beyonce lost to the singer for Album of the Year.

But Kanye went on E! after the Grammys and said, "All I know is if the Grammys want real artists to keep coming back they need to stop playing with us," adding Beck should have given his Grammy to Beyonce.

The good news ... Kanye has gone from stone-cold silence to a talking machine.