Azealia Banks vs. The World: A Comprehensive List of Her Famous Feuds

Santiago Felipe/Getty Images Portrait

Azealia Banks photographed on March 13, 2016 in Brooklyn, N.Y. 

Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea, T.I., Erykah Badu -- these are just a handful of the high-profile artists Azealia Banks has scuffled with online in recent years.

Though her comments toward Cardi are the latest to kick up dust and hurt feelings, Banks' penchant for conflict nearly eclipses her bars in the years since her first mixtape dropped in 2012. Indeed, if there's one thing Banks has become best known for, it's perhaps her endless list of feuds on and off social media with her fellow musicians.

From lengthy back-and-forth beefs to one-sided rants and attacks, here's a comprehensive look back at Banks' most publicized feuds.

Cardi B

This messy feud began in September when Banks called Cardi a "poor man's Nicki Minaj" and accused the rapper of using a ghostwriter for her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit "Bodack Yellow." Cardi responded by posting a video of Banks dancing to the track in a club.

The beef reignited on May 11 when Banks told The Breakfast Club that Cardi is an “illiterate, untalented rat” and called her a "caricature of a black woman." Cardi responded to the offensive comments on Instagram, then deleted her entire IG account shortly thereafter.

Nicki Minaj

In 2012, Banks was offered the opportunity to accompany Minaj on tour in Europe -- an invitation Banks declined, because she was finishing her debut album. Minaj later tweeted "#ManTheseBitchesDelirious," allegedly in response to Banks' decision.

Banks responded as if Minaj had actually uttered her name, in a string of tweetslaced with suggestions such as, "Use good grammar when insulting others" and "I don't believe 'Rap game' hierarchy..........Sorry."

It didn't end there, though Banks apologized via Instagram in 2017 -- an apology Minaj accepted.

Remy Ma

In December 2017, Banks and Remy Ma went back and forth on Instagram, with Banks calling the rapper "a confused Nicki Minaj Stan at best these days." "You do not count in the real female rap conversation anymore," she continued, an out-of-nowhere diss that Remy Ma was (understandably) furious about. The spat escalated on social media, with Remy posting screenshots of texts Banks sent her detailing a depressive spiral and financial woes.

Iggy Azalea

Tons of tension and subtweets pepper the troubled connection between the two Azaleas. Most crudely, Banks responded to an interview in which Azalea revealed that the criticism she had received since breaking into music made her contemplate suicide. Banks commented on Instagram encouraging Azalea's suicide.

In the time since, Banks and Azalea apparently mended their animosity, as Iggy announced a collaboration with Banks last July.

Rihanna

In early 2017, Banks went on Instagram to voice her opinion about President Trump’s executive order to ban citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. During her rant, Banks set her sights on Rihanna, calling into question the singer’s immigration status and criticizing her tweets slamming Trump over the executive order.

"As far as Rihanna (who isn’t a citizen, and can’t vote) and all the rest of the celebrities who are using their influence to stir the public, you lot really REALLY need to shut up and sit down,” Banks wrote.

Rihanna subtly replied to Banks’ attack with a kissy face selfie on Instagram. “The face you make when you a immigrant,” she wrote in the caption. The singer also referenced Banks’ alleged sacrificing of live chickens using the hashtags #stayawayfromthechickens, #iheartnuggets and #saveourhens.

Erykah Badu

In 2015, Erykah Badu responded to a fan who wondered if she's ever given Banks' music a try. "Tried," Badu simply wrote. Banks responded, suggested Badu was jealous, tweeting, "When artists grow old and begin to recognize their own mortality they throw shade at younger spirits."

The following year, Banks responded to a comment on Twitter suggesting she and Badu should become best friends, calling them the "misunderstood queens" -- as they're often finding controversy with their statements. She said this is exactly why they don't get along.

Badu responded later, praising Banks for her advocacy and apologized for what she said. From there, the love fest was full force, with Banks accepting the apology and then explaining her own personal relationship with Badu's music and why she was so affected by the singer's statement.

A rare happy ending on Twitter.

T.I. and Tiny

In 2014, Banks said that Tameka "Tiny" Cottle had "meth face." T.I. responded via Instagram saying, "U musty-mouthed-thot-bot-bad-body-syphilis-lipped-rectum-vomit-unimportant-ugggggly-monstrosity-of-a-maggot-ass BIIIIIIIITCCHHHH!!!!!! If u speak ill of my family again..... I WILL END YOU!!!!!! #OnPHIL #OnDOE #NoBuuulllshit people fall down stairs daily.... U better watch yo step,u ungly-ass Gremlin-baby #nerveofdisCretin #fuckouttahea."

To read Banks' extensive response to that, including a quaint "At least I can read! LOL," go here.

Banks and T.I. have a beef history dating back to 2012.

Lil' Kim

Banks initially showed admiration for Lil' Kim, but that quickly changed when a possible collaboration between the two rappers didn't come to fruition.

This resulted in Banks going on an inevitable Twitter rant, with comments like, "Everyone knows Lil' Kim doesn't write her own raps and I saw this as a faster more efficient way of getting the track done."

Lil' Kim took the high road and didn't respond, and instead released a statement.

"My client and azealia have NEVER spoke to one another or met AT ALL," publicist CJ Carter wrote in the statement. "Kim was actually very flattered [by] azealia’s public admiration for her, which is why it’s so hard to understand how someone who claims to be a true Lil' Kim fan could flip the script so easily on someone who was supposedly their idol."

Action Bronson

In 2014, as Banks and Iggy Azalea were going at it on Twitter, Bronson chastised his followers for mentioning his name in the same breath as the two female rappers. Banks didn't waste any time replying, calling him a "bootleg ghost face" and claimed she can rap better "on a track any given Sunday." Their exchange only escalated, with Bronson saying that the Devil lives inside Banks' genitalia.

Banks also called Bronson a "coward" for attempting to apologize to her through friends. "Action Bronson is trying to apologize to me by texting a mutual friend of ours and saying he's sorry and shouldn't have said anything to me," she tweeted at the time.

Rita Ora

In March 2013, Rita Ora posted a photo wearing jelly shoes. Banks was not having it. "@RitaOra I already did the jellies last year girl," she tweeted. "Try again. I can't with these girls."

The back-and-forth took a nasty turn away from footwear when Banks also tweeted, "She's mad she's Rihanna's understudy. She's been TRYING IT on this tour man.....Lol Rita Ora is so thirsty. She climbed over the wall of my dancers dressing room to snap photos."

Allegedly, Ora texted Banks saying, "At the end of the day I don't know who the fuck you think you are secondly you don't know me I've done nothin' but try b nice to u 3rdly ur dancers were talkn to me further more I'll see ur ass at the motherfuckin concert."

All of this has since been deleted from public record, but still exists here.

Zayn Malik

In May 2016, Banks was suspended from Twitter after first insinuating that Zayn was stealing her work. Zayn responded by tweeting, "My @'s too good for you. No lies ... I see you reaching but I don't care." Banks didn't take that well, so she launched into a totally unnecessary and awful Twitter rant insulting Zayn's ethnicity.

"U.S.A IS ABOUT TO TEACH YOU WHO NOT TO F--- WITH!!" she wrote at the time. "When your entire extended family has been obliterated by good ol the U.S of A will you still be trying to act like a white boy pretending to be black? Do you understand that you are a sand n----- who emulates white boys' renditions of black male hood? Do you know how lost and culture less you are?"

She continued, "Lol u a bitch n---a for even responding like that. Keep sucking this yung rapunxel d--- u hairy curry scented bitch."

In August 2016, she commented on Instagram that Zayn "legit looks like he used to be a girl. He gives me transman teas."

In October 2016, she finally issued a public apology.

Lily Allen

The beef between Banks and Allen began in 2013 when Banks called the singer's husband, Sam Cooper, ugly. As if that weren't enough, Banks went even further and insulted the looks of Allen's children. Allen responded, tweeting, "I've had 2 kids since 212 dropped and i bet my my album still comes out 1st. bitch is scared of the ball. OUT."

Angel Haze

In 2013, Banks and Haze opened the new year by releasing diss tracks aimed at each other as well as nasty Twitter comments, with Banks using a homophobic slur in a response to blogger Perez Hilton.

Haze later removed her end of the Twitter exchange and focused her tweets on other subjects, including her tour dates.

She also issued an apology. "I really do apologize for all of the stuff that has happened recently," Haze wrote. "I don't like the fact that I was a bully in a certain way and I don't like the way that I came off," the rising MC said in a video message to fans, without mentioning Banks by name. "I came off as a bully. Thank you, and I love you."

Skai Jackson

Following Banks' crude comments to Zayn, Disney star Skai Jackson (then 14 years old) tweeted "Azealia Banks needs to simmer down a little."

And in case you were questioning whether anybody was off limits to Banks, the answer was decidedly shown to be no when she responded to Jackson by tweeting, "and you need to grow some hips and start ur menses. stay in a child's place." Jackson clapped back with "When a no hip having 14 year old has more class than you. Worry about your career. Get one."

For more of their Twitter back-and-forth, read here.

Beyoncé

Following Beyoncé's release of her visual album Lemonade in April 2016, Banks sounded off with the unpopular opinion that she didn't like it. More than just saying that, though, Banks tweeted, "If she wants to help us, she'll SHUT UP and let the new vanguard of black women come forth, instead of poaching from us."

Read the full Twitter rant directed at Beyoncé and attacking her "blackness" here.

Pharrell

Yet again one-sided, Banks took aim at Pharrell after -- according to her -- he failed to promote a song they worked on together called "ATM Jam" that Skateboard P produced and sang the hook on.

"The reason ATM jam did poorly is because pharell changed his mind about wanting to be associated with me after he had his lite skin comeback," she tweeted in Nov. 2013.

She then tweeted another charged message directed at Pharrell: "Lite skin n----s are funny. But f--- it what's new? Azealia banks having to scrape claw and fight for what she wants. This is normal for me now. Giving a f---, f---s shit up for me."

A$AP Rocky

In April 2013, rapper A$AP Rocky gave an interview to Couveter in which he suggested dark-skinned women shouldn't wear purple lipstick. Though not aimed directly at Banks -- and this is becoming a theme -- she took it personally and responded.

"Lol @ asap rockys lipstick advice," she tweeted then. "Some people should just come out of the closet."

Kendrick Lamar

In January 2015, Banks took exception to something Kendrick said in his Billboardcover story. "I wish somebody would look in our neighborhood knowing that it's already a situation, mentally, where it's f---ed up," Lamar told Billboard. "What happened to [Michael Brown] should've never happened. Never. But when we don't have respect for ourselves, how do we expect them to respect us? It starts from within. Don't start with just a rally, don't start from looting -- it starts from within."

Banks tweeted indirectly in response, with a barrage of related messages: "'When we don't respect ourselves how can we expect them to respect us' dumbest shit I've ever heard a black man say... Lol do you know about the generational effects of poverty, racism and discrimination?.. There are things in society that benefit a select few of us. fine.... But don't put down the rest by saying they don't respect themselves... HOW DARE YOU open ur face to a white publication and tell them that we don't respect ourselves.... Speak for your f---ing self."

For the full rant, read here.

Eminem

Eminem has built an empire upon profane lyrics, and he freestyled controversially on Sway In The Morning in July 2015. In four tweets, Banks said, “Eminem, you could be my little wrinkly faced lover in the wee hours...You cute...BUT!!!!!: ........ You still chose to make a joke of something that wasn’t funny. Making fun of a woman who was knocked out cold bc she was unable to defend herself. I have been a victim of domestic violence and it’s just not funny. PLUS: you go after unsuspecting women and use them as jokes in ur raps but I bet you’d NEVER press JAY-Z in that way.”

Kreayshawn

This misunderstanding occurred when Kreayshawn retweeted a link from adult site Pornhub, which included a link to Banks’ song “212” and a reference to her lyrics.

Banks took this as an insult and attacked her on Twitter, writing, "You're a dumb bitch. And you can't rap. I'll sit on your face. ... Fall back slut."

Kreayshawn responded with confusion, writing that she only retweeted the link because she liked Banks' music. The misunderstanding ended seven months later when Banks issued an apology. 

Jim Jones

In 2012, Banks took to Twitter to define the meaning of the word vamp: "A very sexually/financially powerful woman who is usually characterized by a penchant for dark things; nighttime, witchcraft, .. Etc.," she wrote.

Jim Jones then responded to a fan tweet, noting that he had come up with the concept with his 2013 song "Vamp Life." This led to Jones and Banks arguing over who should get credit.

Dominique Young Unique

The 2012 squabble between Banks and Dominique Young Unique sparked over lyrics from Banks' “F--- Up the Fun," where she spits, “I might dance on these n----s, but the gun's in the butt.”

Young Unique argued that she came up with the line first. Banks responded, tweeting, "No honey.. You're reaching very very far. I like your music. But no im sorry. You're not getting any credit there."

Young Unique laughed it off, responding with an off-color remark.

SOURCE= BILLBOARD