Azealia Banks took to Instagram to write a lengthy essay about mental illness in the Black community:
This is 100% true. Black folk are the first to discard their own especially when white media/society hangs one of us out for public crucifixion.
From the minute I appeared on the scene I was told by black men in black media that I was ugly, skinny, had bad hair, was weird, made music for white people etc… And those messages penetrated the social consciousness of black America very quickly.
I’ve been belittled, berated, stolen from, called crazy when making clear and true observations about the world we live in only to then have all of those things reveal themselves to be truths.
I’m not blaming anyone or anything for any of my actions but I think it’s really important to for people outside of us (black folk) to understand the detrimental effects of whiteness and white supremacy/white cultural pervasiveness on black peoples MENTAL HEALTH as a whole and the MENTAL HEALTH of black individual herself.
Zayn feeling as though he’s too good to acknowledge me, yet not too good to STEAL and copy my art is HURTFUL. And it happens everywhere. People steal and copy my art ALL THE TIME and try to pretend as if they are somehow above me when they are the ones without their own creative ideas to begin with.
In her post she also tried to explain why she spewed racial slurs at Zayn Malik.
Music industry politics which completely mimic racial social constructs allow people like Zayn to hide behind his popularity amongst white folk when he himself is aiding in the work of white supremacy.
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Cultural Erasure. Another instance of a “white” artist taking credit for the black artists hard work and passion. And truthfully, it’s pushing me over the edge. White society grinds down the self esteem of black artists to the point where we are expected to be silent about such obvious transgressions.
Calling him racial slurs was my way of trying to angrily remind him that he is in fact not one of them, he is one of US. The white privileges he’s so eager to take part in do not apply to him.
He’s colored, like me. His people suffer at the helm of white supremacy just like mine do. He has NO RIGHT to treat me as if I’m not “worthy” of anything, because the white privilege he’s reaching for does not apply to him. In the racial-social construct of the pop world he is STILL beneath Justin Beiber.
There are countless other white male pop stars who will be pushed to the front of the line while he has to work TWICE AS HARD to even be noticed. He needs a reality check and needs to respect that I am one of those people WHO HAS TO WORK TWICE AS HARD maybe 3x to make this happen for myself. Respect that we are both in the same boat…
It doesn’t matter happened at this point you are old enough to figure out that there is a better way of expressing yourself.
Then she dissed the poor girl again
I’m assuming her public relations team or label told her to apologise or make peace as it was bad for business, there is nothing wrong with expression g yourself, what is wrong is doing it in a way to belittle others to make yourself feel superior, you cannot hold that racial card in one hand and use it in the other hand does not pass i’m afraid, she upset the waters not only in her own pond but in others. She needs to be smart and wise in her approach moving forward. As alot of mistakes were made, racial slurs, arguing with children, offending artists like yourself. You don’t have to like someone’s style or art but you do not need to be offensive either just because you don’t like a particular thing, just don’t partake!
I’ve never heard her music, just all the hot mess she’s been in on Twitter. When you’re in business, you don’t just represent yourself. She needs to do better before her business partners start distancing themselves from her. You could be the very best at your craft but if you carry on a certain way, people will not want to work with you or even associate themselves with you.
Very true Nakita Moore and to be honest I didn’t know who she was before all this mess either. Well let’s she he she will learn from this and grow.
She the female version of Kanye West.. Venting like a crazy person!
I understand where she was coming from in her anger, and I actually agree that Zayn tries really hard with the white washing, but she didn’t have to be racist and ignorant about it. There area thousand different ways she could have expressed her point of view in a way that could have been insightful and encouraging in POC and media. But what would be expected from Twitter rant queen.