Azealia Banks

Azealia Banks
A woman on-stage, wearing metallic-coloured gloves that extend to her elbows, holds a mic in one hand.
Banks in 2018
Born
Azealia Amanda Banks

(1991-05-31) May 31, 1991 (age 33)
New York City, U.S.
Other names
  • Miss Bank$
  • Азилька[1]
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
Years active2008–present
Works
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Labels
Websitewww.cheapyxo.net

Azealia Amanda Banks (/əˈziːliə/ ə-ZEE-lee-ə; born May 31, 1991) is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Raised in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, she began releasing music through Myspace in 2008 before being signed to XL Recordings at age 18. She subsequently signed with Interscope and Polydor Records before separating in 2013. Banks became an independent artist and started her own independent record label, Chaos & Glory Recordings. She later signed to Parlophone and Warner Records before quitting her label in 2023.

Banks's song "212" was called one of the best songs of 2011 and one of the defining songs of the decade by music publications, including Rolling Stone and Billboard. She has since released three mixtapes (Fantasea in 2012, Slay-Z in 2016, and Yung Rapunxel Pt.II in 2019), a studio album (Broke with Expensive Taste in 2014), and two extended plays (1991 in 2012 and Icy Colors Change in 2018). In 2017, Banks had her film debut in the musical drama Love Beats Rhymes, portraying the lead character. Banks's works have garnered acclaim from critics, drawing on various sounds including house, rap, pop, electronic music, and avant-garde.

Throughout her career, Banks's social media presence and outspoken views, especially on U.S. politics and race, as well as disputes with other artists,[5] have attracted significant controversy.[6][7] Complex noted in 2014 that "she gets more attention for her public feuds than she does for her music".[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference azilka was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Khomami, Nadia (May 11, 2016). "Azealia Banks axed from UK festival after racist rant at Zayn Malik". The Guardian. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  3. ^ Dart, Chris (June 13, 2012). "Azealia Banks – 1991". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  4. ^ Lymangrover, Jason (June 13, 2012). "Azealia Banks". All Music. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Diep, Eric; Ortiz, Edwin (June 19, 2014). "A History of Azealia Banks' Twitter Beefs". Complex.
  7. ^ Oppenheim, Maya (May 12, 2016). "A brief history of Azealia Banks public feuds". The Independent. Retrieved October 17, 2018.