The ever hot-tempered Azealia Banks has gone on yet another Twitter rampage, this time targeting fellow rapper Iggy Azalea – who she renames “Igloo Australia” – for failing to comment on “black issues” despite capitalising on the appropriation of African American culture in her music.
its funny to see people Like Igloo Australia silent when these things happen... Black Culture is cool, but black issues sure aren't huh?
— CATTY NOIR (@AZEALIABANKS) December 4, 2014
Her tweet comes a day after a grand jury failed to indict a New York City police officer whose actions led to the death of an African American man called Eric Garner. The decision sparked street protests amid a time of heightened racial tension for the country.
“If you’re down to ride with us bitch you gotta RIDE ALL THE WAY”, tweets Banks, who also calls Iggy a “wigger” and accuses the media of giving her excessive coverage – coverage that rightfully belongs to Nicki Minaj.
LOL... IM PETTY, but its so true, ugh, that wannabe black girl shit makes me wanna throw a jar of my piss at her LMFAOOOO.
— CATTY NOIR (@AZEALIABANKS) December 4, 2014
In 2012, Banks kicked off her campaign against Azalea, highlighting one, highly offensive line in her song D.R.U.G.S. (“When it really starts I’m a runaway slave ... master”). Since then, accusations of racism against Azalea have persisted, but focused more on Azalea’s insensitivity to the complexities of race relations and cultural appropriation than any personal and wilful bigotry on the rapper’s part.
Azalea initially responded to Banks and her social justice warriors with a wry tweet.
👀 I see all hell broke loose while I was at rehearsals today.
— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) December 4, 2014
“We’ve all read the script 49584068408540 billion times now, find a new game plan”,” she tweeted. “Theres more to sparking a change than trolling on social media. World issues shouldnt be used as a poor excuse to promote fan battles.”
Banks might have a point when she accuses journalists and the public of finding Azalea, as well her practice of African American music and behaviours, more “acceptable” because of her skin colour. But she does her cause disservice with this trite Twitter trolling – I mean, isn’t she simply drumming up more media attention for Azalea?
Decolonisation is about reclaiming narratives that have been dominated by white, western voices – changing the players and the perspectives, and bringing the marginalised into the centre.
So while Banks’s fury is very loud and possibly real, played within the context of a hip-hop feud – that well-established musical interaction known as “beef” – it’s hard not to question the wisdom of drawing the spotlight away from the victims of police brutality and back to another bestselling white girl pop act.
In any case, Azalea doesn’t take the bait, instead bringing the discussion back to what’s important:
Make sure you do something to let YOUR government know how you feel when something is unjust., not JUST your followers on twitter...
— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) December 4, 2014
She encourages fans to “sign petitions, hit the streets and protest or donate to groups helping to support and rebuild the community too,” before sharing an article on Bustle that lists five ways to support protesters in Ferguson, and the family of Mike Brown, who was shot dead in a controversial police confrontation.
Azalea also cautions fans against clicktivism and paying too much attention to Twitter storms when “theres an actual world out there and multiple ways you can promote change”.
Fine words, that would be all the more weighty if we were to see a more socially conscious Azalea in action – both in her music, and her public life.
