Iggy Azalea has been forced to pull out of her headline set at Pittsburgh Pride festival, following protests from LGBT groups. The Australian rapper had been under fire for a series of homophobic and racist tweets sent in 2011, before she had reached mainstream attention.
She has since announced that she will no longer be playing as her presence would “further distract from the true purpose of the event.”
The tweets, since deleted, included messages: “Just saw 5 black men get arrested out the front of popeyes. #damn #stereotypes” and “When guys whisper in each others ears I always think its kinda homo”. Azalea defended the tweets at the time of their discovery, saying they were only meant for friends and family.
However, she has now taken the opportunity to make a fuller apology for the tweets. In a statement, the rapper said: “I am a firm believer in equality. Unfortunately in the past as a young person, I used words I should not have. The last thing I want is for something so carelessly said to be interpreted as reflective of my character. I meant no harm and deeply regret ever uttering those words.”
It’s been a difficult 2015 so far for Azalea, who cancelled her Great Escape tour dates after originally rescheduling them. In a recent statement, she said she cancelled the dates because “I just feel I deserve a break.”
