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Azealia Banks Needs to Sit the Fuck Down and Listen to Some Good Advice

After announcing a new mixtape before her debut record has even been released, is it time to give up on Azealia?
TR

It’s been two years since Azealia Banks released "212" and proclaimed that she would ruin cunts. The way that she hopped about in a Mickey Mouse jumper, looking like a CBBC presenter raised by the owners of X Hamster, was both shocking and exciting. But she still hasn't released a debut album, and like a reduced sandwich from Tesco ingested after its sell by date, everyone is feeling a bit nauseous.

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When Azealia first arrived, she proved that she had versatility. It wasn’t just “wash your mouth out with acid because soap isn’t strong enough” kind of stuff. There was that really beautiful cover of an Interpol song that preceded “212” showcasing her ability to sing better than any X Factor winner. Diplo wanted to work with her, which despite what people might say, was a good sign and her determination to showcase her talent paid off with the 1991 EP, using beats that were prescribed by one of the most talented producers around.

Genuine praise flew in thick and fast off the back of “1991”. Crystal Waters was effortlessly channeled in the vid for "Luxury" and only bloody Rankin, AKA the best photographer Of All Time, casually helped out with the visuals for both "Van Vogue" and "Liquorice". Likening Azealia to an early Nicki Minaj wasn’t out of the question either. Nicki's output pre Pink Friday was impressive. The girl was shitting out so much material that by the time her album was released she was pretty much set and Azealia was going the same way. Albeit Nicki’s tack may have changed somewhat but, meh. Old news. She knew when to play the game and when to be a fucking boss and you could have had the platform to do the same. Things were looking good, and Azealia was set to become the baddest bitch that rap music had seen since Lil Kim stopped making good music.

But, fast forward past a summer of cancelled festival dates, the first of many producer fallouts and an album that has been postponed more times than she's insulted people’s children. Our previously highly rated opinion of Azealia now equates to minor office titillation regarding which more successful artist she's tried to lay into. The other night, she treated the world to this little beauty:

Babes. C’mon. Boo fucking hoo, y’know? What are you even trying to get out of this? Gaga’s got an album coming out and Azealia is supposedly on it. Take a second to sit down and think about that. Lady Gaga, fashion icon, gay rights activist, general charitable bitch and arguably the biggest pop star the world has birthed out in the past decade has worked with you. Haters gon' hate but Gaga juggles controversy and success like a clown with the arms of Ganesh. But Azealia has managed to make a mess with both, irritating peers and alienating fans with her consistently mixed output and attitude problem that hasn’t even half a leg to stand on.

It seems all too convenient that Azealia's latest pithy attempt at a lash out has come with the release of her new track, “Count Countessa”. The song, by the way, is actually much more promising than most of the recent output. It harks back to ~old~ stuff: breezy instrumentals, frivolous high hats underneath those rapid, spitty vocals she nailed so nicely two years ago. Well done Azealia. You've remembered that once upon a time your talent could have weathered any Angel Haze-Stone Roses-Perez Hilton related shitstorm.

However, any praise is null and void when pitted against the INANE decision to reveal that instead of putting “Count Countessa” on Broke With Expensive Taste (an album now more of a myth than an estate agent without hidden fees), she's releasing it on her sophomore mixtape, Fantasea II: The Second Wave. How the fuck has Azealia come round to the idea that a second mixtape, released before her still to be heard debut album, is a good idea? Like, either shit, or get off the pot. Does Azealia think fans already losing interest in her debut mixtape are going to hold on to hope for whatever is supposed to come after? Whether or not this is a reaction to the irritation expressed by fans after the “BWET” tracklisting leaked last week, I’m not sure. But it certainly sounds like it, considering she said on Twitter that she doesn't actually like “ATM Jam”, which is supposedly the lead single from an album that still hasn't fucking come out. (Also how did she manage to fuck up a track with Pharrell? That guy is the reason 21st century pop music exists. He even managed to make Good Charlotte sound decent, FFS.)

Azealia no longer deserves attention, despite the fact that she's obviously had it rammed down her throat from day one by anyone who has ever tried to rap along to “212”. It’s a shame that Twitter is the only place that seems to accomodate her negative outbursts, but she's earned a reputation as a meddling troll that isn’t going to disappear if BWET is anything less than groundbreaking. Which, to be honest, isn't a great achievement. Basically, Azealia, sort your shit out. There’s a small percent of people who still give a fuck, and “Count Countessa” is a reminder that maybe you didn’t peak too early. Maybe. But delete your Twitter account and hurry up and release your fucking album.

Follow Tamara on Twitter @TamaraRoper

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