BHM Day 9: Azealia Banks

Typically I use these BHM posts to shine a light on Black people who are or have made contributions to society; today I am shining it on a sista who needs us to lift her up. No, I’m not talking about Michelle Williams (the Black one)! She’s doing just fine and selling her linens to the masses! I am talking about Azealia Banks. She’s known for skin bleaching and fighting but there’s more to her than her stunty ways.
Azealia’s song “212” blew up and helped catapult her into the spotlight. Gwyneth Paltrow, Karl Lagerfeld, and a bunch of other cool people in entertainment and fashion co signed her. She had a line saying “I guess that cunt’s gettin eaten” and people lost it. She was so bold and had zero fucks to give! How refreshing! The gays of course, LIVED for her and the fashion moment visuals she dropped. What could possibly go wrong? Well, she started talking… Ugh.

Fast forward to today where most people couldn’t name more than “212” but they can name off the bullshit that has surrounded her. Fights on Twitter with Rihanna, Iggy Azalea, and Sia? Check! Yes, I meant, THAT Sia. Who TF fights with Sia? Fighting with a flight attendants and calling him a slur? Check! Getting banned from Twitter for more hate speech against a former boy band member? YUP! Endorsing Trump AND bleaching her skin? Oh you betcha! Getting into it with RZA and Russel Crowe? (how fucking random?) Duh.com!

What kills me is that she is actually seems pretty smart. I remember watching an interview where she explained her issue with Iggy came from the idea that it was okay for White people to steal Black culture and repackage it as their own. It only reinforced the idea of something not being cool or acceptable until someone white finally does it. (I SEE YOU, ELVIS!) She was well spoken and very passionate about her argument. I just get frustrated seeing someone so smart just kind of lose all credibility with the stunts and the shows. I don’t know if she has some sort of mental illness or if she’s just the literal worst, BUT I’m trying to cut her some slack. I mean, after all, 212 is still pretty fire six years later.