List of Azealia Banks controversies

American rapper, singer and songwriter Azealia Banks has been involved in many feuds and controversies over the duration of her career. Some of these controversies have been disputes with other artists, including public disagreements with musicians like Iggy Azalea and Angel Haze, while some have been based of disputes about race and sexuality, including feuds with gay blogger Perez Hilton, and Vice writer Mitchell Sunderland. Most, if not all of these controversies, have taken place over the social media site Twitter.[1]

Angel Haze

In January 2013, rapper Angel Haze initiated a Twitter feud with Banks, referring to her as a "charcoal skinned bitch"; Banks responded by tweeting that "another young black woman is on twitter making fun of my skin color?", to which Haze apologized.[2]

ASAP Rocky

In an interview with The Coveteur in February 2013, rapper ASAP Rocky expressed disdain with women who choose to wear purple lipstick. "What do dark skin girls have that you know fair skinned girls cant do… Purple lipstick? Naw, that looks stupid on all girls! Purple lipstick, guys! Like, what the fuck." Banks took Rocky's words as a direct insult as purple lipstick has become synonymous with her style, considering she also launched a purple lipstick with MAC Cosmetics. Banks tweeted: "Lol @ asap rockys lipstick advice", "Some people should just come out of the closet." Banks also tweeted a heavily circulated photo of what looks like A$AP Rocky and a male kissing, though there's no real proof it's him.[1]

Baauer

In February 2013, Banks and electronic producer Baauer got into a spat after the rapper released a remix of Baauer's viral hit song "Harlem Shake" on to her SoundCloud for free. This move came after Banks allegedly failed to get the song cleared for her debut album, Broke with Expensive Taste. Baauer promptly had the remix taken down, to which Banks replied, "Respect the fact I was inspired by your shit. Inspired enough to spend more than fucking 30secs paying homage to it."[1]

Dominique Young Unique

In April 2012, a minor feud ensued between Banks and rapper Dominique Young Unique, when Unique called out Banks for using the line “I might dance on these niggas, but the gun in the butt” on her song “Fuck Up The Fun”, from her mixtape, Fantasea. Banks said she knew it was Young Unique’s lyric, which sparked the girls arguing over who came up with the line first.[1]

Iggy Azalea

Banks has been known for numerous rivalries with other celebrities, notably Iggy Azalea[3]

In 2012, Australian rapper Iggy Azalea released a song titled "D.R.U.G.S." in which Azalea referred to herself as a "runaway slave master." Consequently, Banks expressed disdain for the song and Azalea later apologized.[3] Later that year, following Azalea's being featured on XXL‍ '​s fifth annual "Freshman cover", Banks responded on Twitter that the magazine's choice to include Azalea on their list was inadvisable and Azalea had tried to "trivialize very serious aspects" of African American culture.

James DeWolf Perry

On December 26, 2014, Banks posted comments to her Twitter account, stating that the descendants of prominent slave-trading families "should all have their houses burned and their finances seized."[4] She also sent direct messages to James DeWolf Perry, a descendant of James DeWolf, who was an eighteenth century politician, and slave-owner, demanding details about his finances, adding "I think white men all need to be locked away in a psych ward… Considering the atrocities committed by white men ON THE WORLD"[5] and "someone should kick your ass, and punch you right in your stupid smiling cracker face."[4]

Kreayshawn

In January 2012, rapper Kreayshawn retweeted a link from the adult porn site Pornhub, which included a link to Banks’ “212” video and a playful reference to one of her lyrics. Banks took offense to this and assumed Kreayshawn was trying to insult her. Banks then sent the following tweet to Kreayshawn: "@KREAYSHAWN You're a dumb bitch. And you can't rap. I'll sit on your face. ... Fall back slut." Kreayshawn was confused as to why Banks was attacking her, and defended herself, stating it was all in good fun and she didn't know why another female rapper, whom she supported, was attacking her. Banks later apologized, stating she was looking forward to working with Kreayshawn in the future.[1]

Lily Allen

English singer Lily Allen engaged in a heated argument with Banks in July 2013, when Banks called Allen's husband, Sam Cooper, ugly. It escalated from there, with Banks also calling Allen's children ugly. "I've had 2 kids since 212 dropped and i bet my my album still comes out 1st. bitch is scared of the ball. OUT," Allen responded. Ironically, Allen was right, with her project Sheezus being released in May 2014, while Banks' debut album, Broke with Expensive Taste, saw release in November of the same year.[1]

Lil' Kim

In May 2012, Banks sent out a series of tweets, expressing frustration at the fact that a possible collaboration with Lil' Kim was no longer going ahead. Banks tweeted: "Okay so true tea is that Lil Kim got mad that I wrote a verse for her on a record I wanted her on." and "Everyone knows Lil Kim doesn't write her own raps and I saw this as a faster more efficient way of getting the track done." Kim's team later sent out an officlal statement,[1] while Kim responded directly to Banks in an interview with Power 105.1, stating that she had never spoken to Banks, and had no idea who she was.[6]

Mitchell Sunderland

Mitchell Sunderland, blogger and Vice associate editor, wrote a piece titled "My Bizarre Twitter Beef with Azealia Banks and Her Homophobia." In response to the piece, Banks tweeted at Sunderland, "do you know that your mother pushed you out of a pussy?" The two engaged in a heated exchange and traded barbs over a period of days, with Banks stating, "and even if i am a homophobe… so wat? i still make more $ than you.. still have an extra hole.. and still own everything."[7][8] In response, Queerty posted an article titled "Azealia Banks Says She’s Too Rich To Care If You Think She’s A Homophobe".[9] Most of the responses Banks gave during the feud with Sunderland were received negatively, with the media calling them "anti-gay".[10][11]

Perez Hilton

Banks caused controversy by calling blogger Perez Hilton a "messy faggot"

Blogger Perez Hilton got involved with Banks' dispute with Angel Haze, and joined in the argument by siding with Haze, after which Banks characterized him as "a messy faggot."[2][12] When queried on the use of this homophobic term, she tweeted that "A faggot is not a homosexual male. A faggot is any male who acts like a female. There's a BIG difference... As a bisexual person I knew what I meant when I used that word."[2][13] Banks' comment was criticized by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), who stated that regardless of her intent, Banks' use of the word could encourage homophobic bullying.[13][14] Banks responded with the claim that GLAAD lacked integrity; she tweeted that they were "media whores" who were "picking and choosing when to be offended" by criticizing her while ignoring other musicians who used the term "faggot".[15] She compared the public reaction to usage of "nigger" in hip-hop culture, stating, "Why are all these other things like murder, and sex, and violence, and all these other things accepted, but as soon as I call one gay white man a faggot, his feelings are more important."[16] Banks was publicly backed on Twitter by gay rappers Le1f and Mykki Blanco.

Rita Ora

Azealia Banks and Rita Ora were both featured acts on the Future Music Festival in March 2013. While on tour together, Banks called out Ora for being "thirsty." According to the rapper, Ora would take photos of her and then delete them. She also called Rita Ora "Rihanna's understudy," which the singer didn't take well. "At the end of the day I don’t know who the fuck u think you are secondly u dont know me I’ve done nothing but try b nice to u,” Ora responded on Instagram. “3rdly ur dancers were talkn to me further more ill see ur ass at the motherfucking concert."[1]

The Stone Roses

Following a performance at the Future Music Festival, Banks called out the reunited Manchester band The Stone Roses. After sharing a bill with them at the festival, Banks claimed on Twitter that her former tour manager “made a pact with the stone roses to sabotage my set because I fired him.” She followed that up with wishing “nothing but excrement and death” on the group, calling them some “old saggy white niggas.” Banks has since claimed that the band have apologized to her.[17]

T.I.

Upon Banks' dispute with Iggy Azalea, the latter's co-worker and fellow rapper T.I. defended Azalea and said that Banks should "hope to get shelved so she can wait around for next year’s Freshman cover." Banks responded with a paragraph that insulted T.I.'s involvement in the situation and questioned why other black artists like Rapsody, Nitty Scott, and Angel Haze weren't included.[1] Ultimately, Banks commented: "The blackness is gone."[3]

Conservative White Americans

In an interview with Playboy, Banks stated “I hate everything about this country. Like, I hate fat white Americans. All the people who are crunched into the middle of America, the real fat and meat of America, are these racist conservative white people who live on their farms. Those little teenage girls who work at Kmart and have a racist grandma — that’s really America.”[18]

She then went on to clarify that she was joking, stating that "I was making a joke because American culture is very gluttonous. We're very, like, Big Gulp. You want Cup O' Noodles? Here's 24 in a box. Maybe I shouldn't have said that, but who cares? When you fail, you've got to fail fast."[19]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Diep, Eric; Ortiz, Edwin (June 19, 2014). "A History of Azealia Banks' Twitter Beefs". Complex. Archived from the original on March 11, 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Soderberg, Brandon (January 7, 2013). "Azealia Banks vs. Angel Haze: Worst Beef Ever?". Spin. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Chang, Jeff (December 24, 2014). "Azealia Banks, Iggy Azalea and hip-hop's appropriation problem". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 2, 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Dean Van Nguyen (December 29, 2014). "NME News Azealia Banks calls for $100 trillion in slave reparations - NME.COM". NME.COM. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Azealia Banks Slave Reparations: GIVE ME MY MONEY! – Gossip Cop". Gossip Cop. December 26, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Lil' Kim Interview at The Breakfast Club Power 105.1". YouTube. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  7. ↑ Ennis, Dawn (February 6, 2015). "Azealia Banks: 'Even If I Am a Homophobe ... So Wat?'". The Advocate.
  8. ↑ "Azealia Banks: If I am a homophobe, so what? I make more money than you". Pink is the New Blog. February 4, 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Gieseke, Winston (February 4, 2015). "Azealia Banks Says She’s Too Rich To Care If You Think She’s A Homophobe". Queerty.
  10. ↑ Buttler, Bryan (February 6, 2015). "Will Cutn Paste Go Ahead With Its Azealia Banks Tribute After Singer’s Anti-Gay Remarks?". Philly Mag. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Azealia Banks thinks she should be able to say 'f***ot' if gay men can say 'b***h'". Starcasm. February 6, 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "Azealia Banks & Perez Hilton: Twitter Feud With Angel Haze Goes Too Far". The Huffington Post. January 5, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Sean Michaels (7 January 2013). "Azealia Banks apologises for homophobic slur against Perez Hilton". The Guardian.
  14. ↑ Sacks, Ethan (January 7, 2013). "Azealia Banks' homophobic slur aimed at Perez Hilton draws GLAAD condemnation". New York Daily News. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
  15. ↑ Joseph Patrick McCormick (3 June 2013). "Rapper Azealia Banks attacks GLAAD: ‘You don't stand for anything and have no integrity’". Pink News.
  16. ↑ Weiss, Sam (February 19, 2013). "Quote of the Day: Azealia Banks Swears That the Media Won't Tear Her Down". Complex. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
  17. ↑ Rettig, James (December 20, 2013). "The 10 Dumbest Azealia Banks Beefs Of 2013". Stereogum. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Azealia Banks hates ‘everything about’ America - Page Six". Page Six. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Billboard Cover: Azealia Banks on Why No One Really Wants to See Her Naked, Her Impure Thoughts About Barack Obama and Why She's 'Not Here to Be Your Idol'". Page Six. Retrieved April 3, 2015.

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