About
Azealia Banks is an American rapper best known for her 2012 debut extended play (EP) 1991. Online, Banks has been involved in several controversies on Twitter, where she has drawn criticism for defending Bill Cosby, attacking various celebrities and posting racial and homophobic slurs.
Online History
In May 2010, Banks launched the @azealiabanks[3] Twitter feed, garnering upwards of 564,000 followers in the next six years. On September 12th, 2011, the music video for the song “212” was uploaded to the Azealia Banks YouTube channel, where it garnered upwards of 113 million views and 67,000 comments in the next five years. In December, the track was released as the lead single for her EP 1991. The song received critical acclaim, and subsequently ranked on various “best tracks of 2011” lists published that year.
On August 8th, 2012, Banks released the music video for the song “Liquorice” on the AzealiaBanksVEVO YouTube channel, receiving more than 13 million views and 12,800 comments in four years (shown below, left). On November 14th, 2014, she released the video for the song “Chasing Time” (shown below, right). Over the next two years, the video accumulated over 5.2 million views and 7,800 comments.
On March 27th, 2015, Banks released the music video for her track “Yung Rapunxel” (shown below, left). Later that week, she released the video for her single “Ice Princess” (shown below, right). Over the next 14 months, the videos received upwards of 1.47 million and 3.7 million views respectively.
Controversies
Homophobic Statements
In January 2013, Banks engaged in a Twitter dispute with entertainment blogger Perez Hilton, during which she referred to him as a “messy faggot” and subsequently told him to “gobble a dick” and commit suicide.[6] On January 2nd, 2015, Vice[7] published an article by staff writer Mitchell Sunderland titled “My Bizarre Twitter Beef with Azealia Banks and Her Homophobia,” which highlighted an insulting Twitter exchange between Sunderland and Banks. In September, Banks purportedly called a Delta Air Lines flight attendant a “fucking faggot” during a confrontation on a flight to Los Angeles, California.
Bill Cosby Defense
On December 4th, 2014, Banks posted a tweet commenting on the Bill Cosy rape allegations, stating “them bitches frontin’ like they wasn’t trying to get some of the pudding pop!” (shown below).[4] Many subsequently criticized Banks for the tweet, accusing her of victim blaming.[5]
Donald Trump Endorsement
On February 1st, 2016, Banks tweeted that she planned to vote for 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, subsequently adding that “Trump is the only one who truly has the balls to bust up big business” and that “Donald Trump is evil like America is evil and in order for America to keep up with itself it needs him.”[2]
Zayn Malik Twitter Rant
On May 9th, 2016, pop singer Zayn Malik from One Direction released the music video for his song “Like I Would” on YouTube (shown below). Within three days, the video gained over 3.4 million views and 22,100 comments.
The following day, Banks posted a multi-pane image comparings stills from the “Like I Would” to her 2015 music video for the song “Yung Rapunxel,” along with the caption “I’m not mad about this though. Zayn is a cutie pie” (shown below).
Following the Instagram post, Malik posted two tweets which some speculated were responding to Banks Instagram post (shown below).
That same day, Banks posted a series of tweets attacking Malik, referring to him as a “curry scented bitch,” “sand nigger” and “faggot.” Meanwhile, Banks began arguing with Skai Jackson as well, during which she called the Disney actress as “little black bitch.” That day, her Twitter account was suspended and her Instagram page was made private.
Personal Life
Banks was born on May 31st, 1991 in Manhattan, New York. In a 2012 Q&A with Rolling Stone,[1] Banks revealed she identifies as bisexual. In December 2014, Banks publicly declared support for $100 trillion to be paid to African Americans as financial reparations for slavery in the United States.
Search Interest
External References
[1]Rolling Stone – Azealia Banks on Why the C-Word is Feminine
[2]Business Insider – Rapper Azealia Banks endorses Donald Trump for president in a bizarre rant because she has no hope for America
[3]Twitter – azealiabanks
[4]Twitter – azealiabanks
[5]Vulture – Has Azealia Banks Trolled Her Way Out of a Career
[6]NME– Azealia Banks defends using homophobic slur in Perez Hilton argument
[7]Vice – My Bizarre Twitter Beef with Azealia Banks and Her Homophobia