Leave it to “It” girl rapper Azealia Banks to make some polarizing and inflammatory comments about her status as a fashion darling and her future as a rapper, all before her debut ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ even lands. Banks is nothing if not a cultural lightning rod, and she’s already slammed the fashion industry, which embraced her on the quick, and put an expiration date on rapping.
Her recent chat with Hypetrak TV should have her manager wringing their hands over having to deal with the fallout from her statements.
Regarding the quick embrace that the fashion industry wrapped her in, she said, “I think that too much fashion attention as an artist can actually smother you. And it can actually really, really distract from your music. And I kind of almost got there with it, you know what I mean?”
She continued, “It was like, fashion, fashion, fashion, fashion, fashion. And I was like this fashion darling. I was putting out records… and the only record anyone would listen to was ’212.’ That was the only Azealia Banks record that anyone knew…”
Hey, Azealia, there’s nothing wrong with another arm of culture opening doors for you, like fashion can. It’s called layers and levels of exposure. Hell, a MAC lipstick endorsement is pretty sweet, too.
She didn’t diss Alexander Wang (behind the diffusion line she is the face of), or the U.K. fashion line ASOS.
“I think that fashion and style is one thing, but I think that branding can really hurt you as an artist, especially if it’s not real,” she said. “Like, I really like Alexander Wang. I really shop at ASOS, so it makes sense. You can very easily get sucked up by the fashion world, because they bring artists in to make themselves look a certain way, and then as soon as someone new comes up, they’ve completely forgotten about you. They’re so fickle. If you place your faith in the fashion world, you will get let down.”
Those weren’t the only high-voltage comments she made. She already revealed that rapping has a shelf life for her, which feels a bit premature. “I’d like to eventually stop rapping,” she said, even though ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ is dropping in early 2013. “That’s the honest truth. One day, I don’t want to rap anymore, because I think it’s easy and kinda tacky. It’s very unlady-like. I like it, but I think I am going to get tired of it.”
Wait ’til Nicki Minaj or Lil Kim hear those comments. Perhaps those nemeses can unite over a common enemy who dissed their profession? Nah, Banks, who suggested that her fans are all young and gay, is likely just making fiery statements to keep interest in her high.
Banks further declared, “I want to get two albums out, and get all the urban stuff, like rap music, out. Or whatever ideas I have in me out and into fruition, and go back to school and take voice lessons and do contemporary jazz. I dunno. I definitely don’t see myself as a rapper forever.”
There’s nothing wrong with having goals. But we have to admit all this talk does make her sound a little — actually, a lot — entitled before she’s even released a full-length.
