Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, who has often been accused of appropriating Black culture through her music, defended herself against Blackfishing allegations over the holiday weekend.
The “Fancy” artist did not hold back while addressing those accusing her of Blackfishing — or posing as a Black person by altering her physical features — in the music video for her latest single, “I Am the Stripclub.”
In part of the video, the typically fair-skinned, blond-haired Azalea is seen wearing a black wig and makeup allegedly applied to darken her skin tone. The “Black Widow” hit-maker and her makeup artist instead attributed her appearance to dim lighting used to create a club-like atmosphere.
“I’m the same color as I always am, just in a dimly lit room with red lights,” Azalea responded to a fan who questioned the allegations on Twitter.
“It’s the same makeup from every other part of the video just with a Smokey eye and different wig. Just ignore them, who cares? Let em talk.”
Eros Gomez, who handled Azalea’s makeup for the production, also weighed in on the controversy by sharing behind-the-scenes photos of the Grammy nominee sporting the same look in a different light.
“She literally wore the same face makeup during every scene of the video... i would know, i did it,” Gomez tweeted. “And its a shade 6 from armani luminous silk (a light/medium olive undertoned shade if you’re curious).
“The way yall think i would’ve had time to even change her foundation color from the beginning scene to this one is hilarious,” he added. “We were battling the sun coming up and shot the entire video in one night.”
In response to a fan who pleaded with her to “clear” her critics and set the record straight, Azalea wrote, “I don’t care... f— those ppl babe lol.”
When another person pointed out that a “MAJORITY of those people are black and brown,” Azalea doubled down on her remarks, dismissing the backlash as “ridiculous and baseless.”
“I’m wearing a shade 6 in [Armani] foundation, it’s the same shade I’ve worn for the last 3 years,” Azalea tweeted. “It’s the same shade in every music video since sally Walker. Suddenly I wear a black wig in a club scene & its an issue.”
Azalea also offered some advice to “anyone online trying to reach and create an issue because I wore a black wig,” tweeting, “Don’t even start.”
“Ppl online are crazy,” she added.
The “Kream” emcee has taken a similarly dismissive stance in the past when accused of co-opting Black culture by adopting a “blaccent” while rapping.
“I feel like they’re really saying ‘act more like how I stereotype you to be, so I can feel comfortable,’” she tweeted in 2015 after drawing criticism from Black musicians Jill Scott and Eve.
“I think it’s really important we all feel free to explore or feel passionate about whatever u wish.”
Azalea is set to tour the United States this fall with Pitbull.
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