Azealia Banks

Azealia Amanda Banks ( ə-ZEE-lee-ə; born May 31, 1991) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Her debut single, "212", became a defining song of the 2010s and appeared on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2021. Banks is also known for her controversial social media presence and outspoken views, which have received significant publicity.

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 has 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 has generated controversy for her views on U.S. politics and race, as well as disputes with other artists. She has been accused of homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia towards multiple nationalities. Complex noted in 2014 that "she gets more attention for her public feuds than she does for her music".

Life and career

Early life and career beginnings

Azealia Amanda Banks was born on May 31, 1991, in New York City's Manhattan borough; she was the youngest of three. Her single mother raised her and her two siblings in Harlem, after their father died of pancreatic cancer when she was two years old. Following her father's death, Banks says that her mother "became really abusive—physically and verbally. Like she would hit me and my sisters with baseball bats, bang our heads up against walls, and she would always tell me I was ugly. I remember once she threw out all the food in the fridge, just so we wouldn't have anything to eat." Due to escalating violence, Banks moved out of her mother's home at age 14 to live with her older sister.

At a young age, Banks became interested in musical theater, dancing, acting, and singing. At 16, she starred in a production of the comedy-noir musical City of Angels, where she was found by an agent who sent her to auditions for TBS, Nickelodeon, and Law & Order, all without success. At this point Banks decided to end her pursuit of an acting career, citing the stiff competition and overall sense of nonfulfillment. Because of this lack of fulfillment, she began writing rap and R&B songs as a creative outlet. She never finished high school, instead choosing to embark on a career as a recording artist.

Under the moniker Miss Bank$, she released her debut recording, "Gimme a Chance" online on November 9, 2008. The recording was accompanied by the self-produced track "Seventeen", which sampled the Ladytron song of the same name. Banks sent both tracks to American DJ Diplo. Later that year, she signed a development deal with record label XL Recordings and began working with producer Richard Russell in London, leaving the label later that year due to conflicting ideas.

2011–2012: 1991 and Fantasea

After leaving XL Recordings, Banks dropped the 'Miss Bank$' moniker and formally became Azealia Banks, which preceded a move to Montreal. Using YouTube as a portal, she uploaded several demo tracks, including "L8R" and a cover of "Slow Hands" by Interpol. After her Canadian visa expired, Banks returned to New York, where she sold keychains at a Manhattan jazz club and danced at a Queens strip club to make ends meet. "That's when I was really depressed", Banks said. "I don't have a manager, I don't have a boyfriend, I don't have any friends, I don't have any money. Here I am working at the strip club, trying not to say the wrong thing and get into fights with these girls who don't give a shit."

In September 2011, Banks released her debut single, "212", as a free digital download from her website. It was released officially on December 6, 2011, as the lead single from her EP 1991. The track attained moderate European chart success, peaking at No. 14 in the Netherlands, No. 12 in the United Kingdom and No. 7 in Ireland.

Though unsigned at the time, Banks began working with British producer Paul Epworth on a debut studio album. It was announced in December 2011 that she would feature on "Shady Love", a track on American band Scissor Sisters' fourth studio album, Magic Hour, although the appearance was uncredited. An accompanying video was released in January 2012 following its radio premiere from Annie Mac (BBC Radio 1) on January 4, though the single's release was canceled for unconfirmed reasons. Banks released the track "NEEDSUMLUV (SXLND)" online on January 16, 2012, coinciding with what would have been the 33rd birthday of the late singer Aaliyah, who is sampled on the track. A week later saw the emergence of a second track, "Bambi", produced by Paul Epworth and selected as the soundtrack for a Thierry Mugler fashion show in Paris.

In May 2012, Banks announced plans to release a mixtape—originally titled Fantastic—titled Fantasea. Preceding its release the tracks "Jumanji", "Aquababe", and "Nathan" (featuring rapper Styles P) were made available online. Fantasea was released via Banks's Twitter account on July 11, and described as "thrilling document of a phenomenally gifted performer in a state of flux".

Banks's first EP, 1991, was released in the UK on May 28 and in the US the next day. The 4-track EP, which includes 212, was not eligible for the UK Albums chart, but the title track charted at No. 79 on the UK Singles chart. It also reached No. 133 on the US 200, while reaching No. 17 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop chart, No. 12 on the US Rap chart, and headin' US Heat chart. In 2013, 1991 was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association.

Banks was scheduled to release her second single, "Esta Noche", from Fantasea, on September 25, 2012, but it was pulled the day of its release due to sampling disputes between Banks and its producer, Munchi. Banks collaborated with both Lady Gaga and Kanye West, but these songs remain unreleased. On December 31, 2012, Banks released "BBD", a collaboration with Sup Doodle and Apple Juice Kid.

2013–2016: Broke with Expensive Taste and Slay-Z

Early in 2012, Banks revealed that her debut album would be called Broke with Expensive Taste, and said it would include contributions from musicians including Toko Yasuda, Theophilus London, Kevin Hussein, and Ariel Pink. She initially said the album's lead single would be a track titled "Miss Amor" and that it would be accompanied by a B-side, "Miss Camaraderie", both produced by Lone, but these plans changed: in January 2013 she announced that the first official single from the album would be "Yung Rapunxel", which was released in March 2013 on SoundCloud.

In May 2013, Banks announced that the second single from Broke with Expensive Taste would be "ATM Jam", featuring Pharrell. On June 29, she debuted the song at the 2013 Glastonbury Festival, with New York City radio station Hot 97 premiering a clean, shortened version of the studio recording three days later. On July 11, the full studio version of "ATM Jam" was released on BBC Radio 1. Banks confirmed in November 2013 that "ATM Jam" would not appear on Broke with Expensive Taste due to negative fan feedback and personal disinterest regarding the song.

Banks announced in mid-July that after a long battle, she had parted ways with Universal Music Group. She reportedly has possession and the rights to the work she released with Interscope. On July 28, 2014, Banks released the official second single from Broke with Expensive Taste, titled "Heavy Metal and Reflective", on her own label, Azealia Banks Records.

Banks surprise-released Broke with Expensive Taste under Prospect Park on iTunes on November 7, 2014. The physical album was released on March 3, 2015. In 2015, Banks performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and posed nude for the April issue of Playboy, shot by Ellen von Unwerth. In late 2015, Banks revealed that she was unable to release new music until March 2016, due to the separation from her label, Prospect Park, but as of February 2016 she was officially cleared of her contract and able to release new music.