Azealia Banks - YUNG RAPUNXEL II

[stopalert]

Are you familiar with Azealia Banks? Well, if you’re not, you will be, as the baby-faced singer/MC has had quite a month and plans on a full-scale takeover for 2012.

After being awarded the top spot on NME’s annual Cool List, the 21-year-old Harlemite saw her eclectic “212″ single earn placement in both Pitchfork and NPR’s Top 100 Songs of 2011. She placed #3 on BBC's 'Sound of 2012'. The video for said song – originally debuted in early fall – is days away from a millions views. And last week, she got contacted by Kanye West and an A-List cosign from Gweneth Paltrow.

[AP]

LOVE her. She's currently unsigned right? Any word on a signing on the horizon?

[Live Your Life]

She's rumored to be signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music imprint.

[horchata]

Liquorice has had my mind lately, the instrumental of that is amazing. I'm really looking forward to whenever she puts out an album.

[stopalert]

yeah, she's dope! paul epworth is producing some tracks on the album too.

[stopalert]

Azealia Banks Covers The Hundreds, Disses Kreayshawn, Nicki

The lovely Miss Azealia Banks and her purple hair cover The Hundreds Magazine. The Harlem native refrains from biting her tongue by expressing her true thoughts about Kreayshawn, Nicki Minaj & XL Records. Vol. 3 Issue 2 of The Hundreds Magazine will be available on February 2nd. Below are some excerpts from her interview:

On Kreayshawn:

“As much as Kreayshawn would love to be considered part of this ‘rap game,’ she’s not. I guess a part of me is kind of annoyed that those white girls are making these songs, and it’s like if these girls were black and making the same songs would you be that interested?”

On Nicki Minaj:

“The butt, the hair, the this, the that, all the other shit, like… As much respect that I have for her, we’ve seen you do this already, what else can you do?”



On her career aspirations:

I’m trying to be innovative, I want to be like Missy Elliott was, respected and accepted for doing her own thing.

On her experience with XL Records:

“It was almost the day I signed to XL that they started checking out. There were a good seven to eight months where I was just sending them texts and no-one would say anything or pick up the phone or respond to my emails. Nothing. And it started to ruin me.

I was like, this is not what I worked so hard my entire life to do – to be rejected by some English guy in West Bumblefrickin’ nowhere London, telling me I’m amateur or something like that. So I just said, ‘Screw you!’”

via Complex
hustlegrl.com/blog/2012/01/azealia-banks-covers-the-hundreds-disses-kreayshawn-nicki-minaj-xl-records/[/CENTER]

[Deleted]

[**βécky**™]

Bambi samples The Black Ghosts 'Repetition Kills You'

[Mic Technique]

Are you an Aquarius? You act like an Aquarius. What's so fucking funny?

ONE IN A MILLION
Photography Inez & Vinoodh
Fashion Nicola Formichetti
Text Patrik Sandberg

BUSTING OUT OF THE 212 WITH RAW RAP TALENT AND A STUNNING SINGING VOICE TO MATCH, AZEALIA BANKS ISN’T OUT TO TAKE ANYONE’S TROPHY—SHE’S HERE TO CHANGE THE GAME. GET READY TO BECOME OBSESSED WITH B-A-N-K-S

Catching up with Azealia Banks might run you ragged. Brought to V’s attention late last summer via a Russian social networking site, we made several attempts to get in touch with the 20-year-old Harlem rapper and singer to little avail. When teased that she’s tougher to get ahold of than Britney Spears, she laughs. “I’m usually at home, in the studio, or at a photo shoot,” she reasons. “I don’t go out. When NME said I was the coolest artist of 2011, I was like really? I’m not that cool. I, like, read my Kindle and eat sushi rolls and hang out with my boyfriend. I stay home and play with my cat.”

There’s also a brand new record deal with Universal Music, the ink on which has barely dried at the time of our conversation. “They offered me a deal! And I got a lawyer,” she says. “It’s happening.” A week earlier, she had charmed everyone on the set of her V shoot, including photographers Inez & Vinoodh and style mastermind Nicola Formichetti. The magnitude of her connection with the latter is evidenced by what immediately followed: she joined him in Paris to debut a track at his Mugler menswear show and days later he directed her second music video—his first—for the song “Liquorice.” (In between, Banks managed to squeeze in a private performance at Karl Lagerfeld’s house.) For Formichetti, it marks the most significant artist collaboration since his work with Lady Gaga. ”I love Azealia because we have the same birthday,” he says. “Double Gemini!”

By all accounts, it feels like Azealia Banks is the only girl in the world. Just don’t say it to her face. “Ew,” she replies. “I feel so weird when people say things to me like that because it’s just hype. I never want to be concerned with popularity. I am more concerned with making consistently good music.”

If catching up with Banks in person proves to be difficult, just imagine trying to keep up with her verbal flow. Her rapid-fire, crystalline raps are astounding in their elasticity, punctuated with clever puns, one-liners, and taunting, confrontational raunch. Sex, realness, and power are trending on her breakout single “212,” which announces at the start, “I can be the answer,” before proclaiming at the close, “What you gon’ do when I appear/ W-When I premiere/ Bitch the end of your lives are near/ This shit been mine, mine!” In between lies roughly three minutes of entrancing rhythm (courtesy of producer Lazy Jay) and unclockable verses, interrupted by an unexpected bridge that spotlights Banks’s showstopping singing voice.

There’s a price to pay for such a rapid ascent, and Banks is well aware of her critics. “Everyone’s a racist at the end of the day,” she says bluntly. “I had some random girl on Twitter say ‘Can you just stick to the raunchy raps?’ and I retweeted her to call her out. You know, we’re black, we’re white, we’re whatever, but we all have hearts, lungs, and genitals. We feel the same things. Music is music. Why not pull from the places and the things that you like to mix it all together and create something new? A lot of people think that rapping is easy but it isn’t, it takes a lot of mental work.”

Banks’s defiance toward genre has attracted a diverse fanbase that appreciates her varied musical inclinations (many were surprised to discover her ballad cover of “Slow Hands” by Interpol on YouTube, but its approval rating is resting at a solid 96 percent). That, or her talent is so colossal that it’s tough not to give credit where credit is due. One thing Azealia is keen to make clear is that she isn’t just another rap chick. When it comes to role models, “I don’t have any,” she says, “except maybe Missy Elliott because she is so loved and respected. Everything she puts out is of such quality. To see that is really inspiring.”

Could a collaboration with Missy be on the horizon? At the pace Banks is moving, it doesn’t seem far-fetched. She’s already collaborated with Machinedrum and Paul Epworth, and now that she’s been validated by the fashion industry, it’s tough not to see her as bankable. “It’s been really incredible as a person who does not come from fashion, suggesting something I want to do to Nicola and him saying ‘Oh my God, that’s amazing!’ It gives me the best feeling, like, really?! Maybe I know more than I think.”

[212]

she is that young sis, the beacon

[Deleted]

The album is due in September.

[Caviar]

Can't wait!

[Deleted]

The album is called Broke With Expensive Taste.

[Deleted]

AZEALIA BANKS DENOUNCES IGGY AZALEA’S PLACEMENT ON XXL FRESHMEN LIST

Azealia Banks and Iggy Azalea are both relative newcomers to the game, but don’t expect them to have each other’s backs. The “212” singer-rapper expressed her dismay after XXL bestowed praise on the blonde Australian.

Iggy is the first female rapper to make the hip-hop magazine’s “Freshmen Class,” which this year includes Machine Gun Kelly, French Montana, Roscoe Dash, Future, Hopsin, Kid Ink, and more. But while most congratulated her on the honor, her fellow femcee Azealia Banks didn’t have as kind words.

“Iggy Azalea on the XXL freshman list is all wrong,” remarked Banks on Twitter. “How can you endorse a white woman who called herself a ‘runaway slave master’?”

She continued, “Sorry guys. But I’m pro black girl. I’m not anti white girl, but I’m also not here for any1 outside of my culture trying to trivialize very serious aspects of it.”

Iggy, who is affiliated with T.I.’s Grand Hustle family, did not personally address the comments, but did respond to her critics. “You can’t block my blessings! Today I’m celebrating! Get with it or kick rocks!” she tweeted. “First female freshman. Ever. Period. Thanks world! I used to stick XXL on my bedroom door, now I’m on the cover. Life is great.”

Iggy is not Banks’ first target. The Harlem firecracker previously lashed out at Nicki Minaj. “The butt, the hair, the this, the that, all the other shit, like… As much respect that I have for her, we’ve seen you do this already, what else can you do?” she told The Hundreds Magazine of the Young Money rapper.

Kreayshawn also bore the brunt of her wrath. “You’re a dumb bitch. And you can’t rap. I’ll sit on your face. … Fall back slut,” she told her after the “Gucci Gucci” rapper retweeted a link to her video via PornHub.

www.rap-up.com/2012/02/28/azealia-banks-denounces-iggy-azaleas-placement-on-xxl-freshmen-list/

[Caviar]

I like her. She keeps it 100%.

[Wave.]

Lol, she's swole. Too early to be talking shit.

[Oprah]

She has a point, though. 'Runaway slave master'? Not here for that.

[Deleted]

Feb 28, 2012 17:48:11 GMT -5 Oprah said:

She has a point, though. 'Runaway slave master'? Not here for that.

I agree with her on that, but criticizing Nicki already? What has SHE done? I like artists to prove themselves before they go around trash talking successful people.

[Wave.]

Feb 28, 2012 17:48:11 GMT -5 Oprah said:

She has a point, though. 'Runaway slave master'? Not here for that.

I overlooked that part. Damn that YT chick is on some shit to say something like that.

[Linnethia Monique]

I remember that same line from Kendrick Lamar. Only thing was his didn't have master.
When the relay starts I’ma runaway slave, walking on water and running on waves

[Wave.]

"Grand Scam" is the shit. I like her already.

[Deleted]

AZEALIA BANKS CALLS T.I. ‘CORNY’ FOR DEFENDING IGGY AZALEA

Azealia Banks is not backing down. After T.I. jumped to Iggy Azalea’s defense during an interview, the outspoken “212” rapper has issued a fiery response.

Banks took to Twitter after hearing Tip’s comments in support of his Hustle Gang artist Iggy. “Lol I NEVER needed the next ***I'M RACIST*** to sit up on a radio show with me and defend me,” tweeted Banks. “Furthermore, ***I'M RACIST*** r sitting up here trying to mask/defend what homegirl said. f**k outta here.”

The feud ignited when Banks denounced Azalea’s place on XXL magazine’s “Freshmen Class” list, accusing her of making racist comments. “Iggy Azalea on the XXL freshman list is all wrong,” Banks previously wrote. “How can you endorse a white woman who called herself a ‘runaway slave master’?”

She also personally addressed Tip, who weighed in on the rivalry during an interview on DJ Drama’s show. “@tip you corny for that one,” she said. “Come on T.I…. ***I'M RACIST*** is not scared of u and whatever s**t u got to say on some radio show. … LMFAOO how u a grown man commenting on what’s going on between two girls. Come on son. Stop it.”

Iggy Azalea kept her response to a minimum. “I said my piece respectfully, something im entitled to do and now that i have, there is nothing else to say,” she tweeted.

The sparring femcees are both signed to Interscope Records in the U.S. Banks’ debut Broke with Expensive Taste is due in September, while Azalea is readying her album The New Classic for a summer release.

www.rap-up.com/2012/03/10/azealia-banks-calls-ti-corny-for-defending-iggy-azalea/

[Linnethia Monique]

STOP IT 5

[Wave.]

Dead. She don't give a fck.

[spooky21]

I like her but she needs to reign that shit in. She started off fresh and interesting but has now descended into the same name callin, troll baiting, beef stirring shit that every female MC before her. She thinks this makes her different? Does she know how many rap artists have been "keepin it real" since the 1980's?

Keep it real but leave other people out of it, homie! When you get your first multiplatinum, then loosen up a bit.

[KingB]

meanwhile 212 is burning up the European charts

keep speaking your mind Azealia.. enough with everyone feeling the need to be politically correct.
T.I. is cornE ass hell to get in the middle of an argument between 2 females. On the radio acting
like Azealia is on Keys level.. when her video has over 5 million views, she's actually charting, sitting front row at the top designers fashion shows, playing the after party's & being saluted by the heavy weights in music. And best of all a rare occasion when a femcee can come up without
having to d!ckride a male rapper to get on.

#TeamUncensored&NoNonsense

[Stan4Jan]

This bum needs to stop. She's mad she was not on Iggy's place.

[212]

T.I. also jumped to Iggy’s defense, claiming not to be familiar with her “212” rival. “Strategically if she really cares about a freshmen cover maybe she could hope that she’ll suck enough to get shelved and then next year when the freshmen cover comes back around, maybe she’ll still be a freshman.”

He continued addressing Banks, “If you spend half of your day getting money and the other half of your day counting money, you ain’t got no time in your day to worry about nobody else.”

www.rap-up.com/2012/03/10/ti-defends-iggy-azalea-against-azealia-banks/

[Deleted]

I feel like all I read about this girl is who she's talking trash about, not what she's actually doing with her music...

[Wave.]

I know! I understand that's her opinion, but why waste your time coming for other female rappers..just about all the time?