All About Laughs
Azealia Banks is feeling the love this pride month. The historically divisive rapper has found herself at odds with the LGBTQIA community over the years despite them being a core part of her fan base. In recent days she begun to walk back on her past stance, even doing a video asking for forgiveness and space to grow in light of her past rants. She even praised Lil Nas X and his recent BET Awards performance. This did not stop her from shading fellow Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky, accusing him of being gay and needing to “come out of the closet”.
Banks caught some heat in 2019 for a homophobic rant she went on following Frank Ocean’s announcement for a club event called “PrEP+”. In it she accused gay men of using PREP as an excuse for promiscuous behavior. In the rant she said, “Clearly I have a lot of gay male friends.” Also claiming there’s no reason for men to use [PREP] to be out in the streets living reckless.
She later apologized saying “Hey guys, So…. a few weeks ago I went on a rant about [PREP] and I am just doubling back to say…… I’m sorry,” she posted. “It’s not my place. It was extremely insensitive. Who cares if I meant well, that wasn’t the way. I’m really really sorry.”
Bank seems to be ready to fully mend her relationship with the community in a recent video of her asking for forgiveness. Banks can be seen standing in her bathroom recalling her past mistakes and how she wants to grow and rebuilding her connection to the LGBTQIA community. “Happy Pride, Thanks for everything” she titled the clip.
In her stories she made sure to also show love to Lil Nas X and his recent “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” performance which featured a viral kiss with another man on the BET Awards stage. While expressing how proud she was of him, she also went on to call his performance “monumental”. She also acknowledged the homophobia she received early on in her career when people dismissed her single “212”, saying it was not a hip-hop record because its connection with queer audiences and culture.
In true Azealia form, the video was not without its shade. In shouting out Nas, she made sure to roast A$AP Rocky who she accused of being in the closet. She refers to him as “ASAP Raquelle” and says he has “pearls in his boudoir”. In the past she’s taken issue with A$AP, even calling him out in 2013 after he made comments about dark skinned women with purple lipstick. “What do dark skin girls have that you know fair skinned girls can’t do. Purple lipstick? Naw, that looks stupid on all girls! Purple lipstick, guys! Like, what the fuck.”
Azealia Banks calling ASAP Rocky “ASAP Raquel” on her Insta story today is all I needed to get through.
— balenciaga crocs (@queerblackthot) June 29, 2021
“Lol @ asap rockys lipstick advice,” Banks wrote on Twitter at the time. “Some people should just come out of the closet,” she added.
Azealia Banks Says ASAP Rocky Is On The Down Low And Slams Him For “Hurtful” Comment About Dark-Skinned Women http://t.co/TMObNqxU8j
— Bossip (@Bossip) April 11, 2013
