Feuds are rife in hip hop culture, and female MCs make no exception. Azealia Banks has been on Iggy Azalea’s case for a very long time, but now that Iggy took the time to respond to her, the fighting is getting really nasty.
As Azealia sees it, Iggy is guilty of black culture appropriation because she’s just a white chick from Australia who’s making millions by pretending she’s black and from the hood. By extension, she’s racist and she should be shunned – not embraced as some kind of trendsetter, which she obviously (to Azealia) is not.
The appropriation of black culture and how “everyone wants to be black but no one wants to be black” are two of the topics Azealia is most passionate about, so she naturally discussed them in a new interview.
Iggy is racist, Azealia is a bigot
“I feel like in this country, whenever it comes to our things, like black issues or black politics or black music or whatever, there's always this undercurrent of kinda like a ‘[expletive] you.’ That Iggy Azalea [stuff] isn't better than any [expletive]ing black girl that's rapping today... The Grammys are supposed to be accolades of artistic excellence. Iggy Azalea is not excellent,” Azealia said.
This isn’t the first time that Iggy is accused of “posing as black” in her music and onstage persona, especially by those knowing that, some years ago, she was nothing but another Britney Spears wannabe whose backside was considerably smaller.
Still, this comment from Azealia must have struck a chord with Iggy, because she didn’t waste a second before getting on Twitter to tell Azealia that she wasn’t racist and she wasn’t in any way preventing other black girls from making it in the rap industry.
Azealia, Iggy mused, must be dying on the inside from jealousy that she’s more famous. The reason Azealia wasn’t a big name is that she’s got a terrible attitude, no self-control, no shame, no dignity, and usually no idea what she was talking about, but she still opened her mouth nonetheless.
“Enjoy continuing to bang your head against that metaphoric brick wall & Savor this attention. I'm the only way you get ANY. You're poisonous and I feel genuinely sorry for you because it's obvious at this point you are a MISERABLE, angry human being. Regards!” Iggy wrote.
Azealia’s response came immediately: Iggy was selfish for making this about herself, when all she was trying to do was express her opinion, to which she’s entitled.
“My tears had absolutely nothing to with you and everything to do with society and the media in general. But, iffy azuzu will not play victim and make this about her, I made some very valid points about things that are important to me,” Azealia wrote, apparently forgetting that she’d called Iggy (aka “iffy” or even “itchy areola”) “not excellent.”
Beyonce’s sister gets involved
Even Beyonce’s sister, Solange Knowles, got involved in the feud, siding with Azealia and supporting her in her greater argument that the music industry was filled with people guilty of culture appropriation, like Iggy herself.
Solange didn’t say this much, but she did tweet a “thank you” to Azealia, signed “a music fan, a black girl.
Special msg for banks: There are many black artists succeeding in all genres. The reason you haven't is because of your piss poor attitude.
— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) December 19, 2014
Your inability to be responsible for your own mistakes, bullying others, the inability to be humble or have self control. It's YOU!
— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) December 19, 2014
you created your own unfortunate situation by being a bigot and don't have the mental capacity to realize yet. Probably never will.
— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) December 19, 2014
Now! rant, Make it racial! make it political! Make it whatever but I guarantee it won't make you likable & THATS why ur crying on the radio.
— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) December 19, 2014
Enjoy continuing to bang your head against that metaphoric brick wall & Savor this attention. I'm the only way you get ANY.
— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) December 19, 2014
You're poisonous and I feel genuinely sorry for you because it's obvious at this point you are a MISERABLE, angry human being. Regards!
— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) December 19, 2014
Dear LordT, I Pray for this Clueless White Girl.
— CATTY NOIR (@AZEALIABANKS) December 19, 2014
None of this will make sense to her until she herself has children with a black man and has to deal with having black children in America
— CATTY NOIR (@AZEALIABANKS) December 19, 2014
The interview was about things way beyond your mental capacity.
— CATTY NOIR (@AZEALIABANKS) December 19, 2014
Itchy Areola, you are so stupid and selfish to make any of this about yourself in particular,
— CATTY NOIR (@AZEALIABANKS) December 19, 2014
My tears had absolutely nothing to with you and everything to do with society and the media in general.
— CATTY NOIR (@AZEALIABANKS) December 19, 2014
@Iggyazalea do you know what a minstrel is? Because that's what you are.....
— CATTY NOIR (@AZEALIABANKS) December 19, 2014
But, iffy azuzu will not play victim and make this about her, I made some very valid points about things that are important to me.
— CATTY NOIR (@AZEALIABANKS) December 19, 2014