History of Azealia Banks in Timeline

Azealia Banks is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter known for her music and controversial social media presence. Hailing from Harlem, she gained recognition after releasing music on Myspace and later signed with XL Recordings. Her breakthrough song "212" was highly acclaimed, considered a defining track of the 2010s by prominent music publications. Banks continues to be a figure of public interest due to her outspoken and often contentious online activity.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2003: Communications Act

In 2003, The United Kingdom's Communications Act 2003 was cited by a barrister who suggested that comments made by Banks on Instagram calling Irish people "inbred" and appearing to make light of the Great Famine could breach the Communications Act.

December 2014: Call for reparations for African Americans

In December 2014, Azealia Banks called for over $100 trillion to be paid to African Americans as financial reparations for the enslavement of their ancestors, citing U.S. reparations to Native American communities and German reparations to Jewish survivors of the Holocaust as precedents.

2015: Homophobic language incident

In 2015, Azealia Banks used homophobic language when she called a flight attendant a "fucking faggot" during an "in-flight meltdown". She later posted a "Twitter tirade" against the LGBT community.

May 11, 2016: Tweets towards Zayn Malik

On May 11, 2016, Azealia Banks posted a series of Tweets that Time said were "racially-charged" and "inappropriate" towards Zayn Malik.

June 2016: Twitter account reactivation

In June 2016, Azealia Banks rejoined Twitter, following a suspension.

July 2016: Admission of skin lightening

In July 2016, Azealia Banks admitted to lightening her skin due to blemishes caused by her birth control regimen and defended skin bleaching.

October 2016: Retraction of Trump endorsement

In October 2016, Azealia Banks retracted her endorsement of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, citing the importance of women's rights, but expressed elation after his victory.

2016: Music Festival Cancellation

In 2016, Azealia Banks had her performance at a music festival canceled following remarks she made about Zayn Malik.

2016: Acknowledgement of sibling's transition

In 2016, Azealia Banks shared that one of her siblings was a trans man and congratulated him on his top surgery.

May 2018: Previous denouncement of Israel

In May 2018, Azealia Banks had previously denounced "racists" in Israel and stated she would never return to the country.

2018: Experiences in Israel and Comments on Jewish Influence

In 2018, Azealia Banks criticized the racism she experienced in Israel on Twitter. She described negative interactions with Israeli vendors and passengers on El Al, racial profiling at Ben Gurion Airport, and stated she would "never return" to Israel. Banks then shared a post on Twitter claiming that Jewish people had too much influence in the entertainment industry.

October 2019: Announcement of Azilka stage name

In October 2019, Azealia Banks announced she would perform under the name Azilka during her tour in post-Soviet countries.

2019: Accusations Against SAS and Call for Bombing Sweden

In 2019, Azealia Banks accused SAS staff of profiling her on an Instagram post on a flight leaving from Stockholm, deeming Swedish people as racist. Soon after this, Banks shared another post calling for Sweden to be bombed.

2019: Criticism of Aer Lingus and Insulting Remarks

In early 2019, Azealia Banks criticized Aer Lingus on Instagram, claiming she was banned. She also made insulting remarks about Irish women, comparing them to Oompa-Loompas and calling herself the "queen of Ireland".

October 2020: Twitter Suspension

In October 2020, Azealia Banks' Twitter account was suspended following remarks about the COVID-19 vaccine that were deemed transphobic.

2020: Comments on gay men and horse culture

In 2020, Azealia Banks said gay men were "appropriating horse culture" by using harnesses, ketamine, and sexual lubricant.

2020: Ordered to seek mental health treatment

In 2020, during a plea deal in Manhattan Court to avoid prison time for assault, Azealia Banks was ordered to seek mental health treatment.

February 2021: Engagement Announcement

In February 2021, Azealia Banks publicly announced her engagement to American artist Ryder Ripps.

2021: Comments on trans women

In 2021, Azealia Banks stated that trans women are "just gay boys on hormones using male aggression to force their ways into women's spaces".

April 2022: Controversial Comments on Ukraine and Russia

In April 2022, Azealia Banks posted an Instagram story repeatedly chastising Ukraine in the 2022 Russian invasion of the country, claiming, without evidence, that Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy prevented African exchange students from leaving the country, also claiming without evidence that Ukraine was using its embassies in African countries to recruit mercenaries to fight in Ukraine.

April 2022: Twitter account reactivation after Musk acquisition

In April 2022, Azealia Banks rejoined Twitter, following news of Elon Musk's acquisition of the app.

October 2022: Instagram Suspension

In October 2022, Azealia Banks was suspended from Instagram.

January 2023: Departure from Parlophone Records and independent release plans

In January 2023, Azealia Banks announced her departure from Parlophone Records via an Instagram story. She also stated that she would independently release the track, "New Bottega."

January 2023: Statements on moving to Miami and Ron DeSantis

In January 2023, Azealia Banks stated she moved to Miami because she had become disillusioned with Los Angeles politics and felt "way safer" in Florida, praising Florida's governor Ron DeSantis.

March 10, 2023: Release of "New Bottega"

On March 10, 2023, "New Bottega," a collaboration between Azealia Banks and Australian house producer Torren Foot, was released by Sweat It Out, an Australian dance music label.

Loading Video...

November 2023: Accusations against Diplo

In November 2023, Azealia Banks accused record producer Diplo of sexual coercion during their collaborations when she was a minor, alleging he pressured her for sex in exchange for music and withheld tracks, also accusing him of misconduct towards other women.

2023: Views on gender-affirming surgery funding

In 2023, Azealia Banks argued that state funding for other healthcare issues should take precedence over funding for gender-affirming surgery, which she compared to cosmetic surgery.

July 2024: Attendance at Trump rally

In July 2024, Azealia Banks attended a rally in support of Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign in Florida.

March 2025: Move to Stockholm, Sweden

In March 2025, Azealia Banks revealed she had moved to Stockholm, Sweden, after having previously called Sweden a racist country and suggesting it should be bombed.

April 2025: Regret over voting for Trump

In April 2025, Azealia Banks expressed regret for voting for Trump, stating that the situation was "an absolute disaster".

June 2025: Statements on Zionism and Israel

In June 2025, Azealia Banks stated she is a Zionist and supports Israel, writing "Fuck Palestine" on X. She asserted that Israel should only give Afro-Palestinians asylum, and criticized the two-state solution.

June 2025: Sinai Award

In June 2025, Azealia Banks won a Sinai Award from online magazine Tablet for being one of the "12 people who made the world freer" that year, as the "original uncancellable rapper".

July 2025: Defense of Trump over Epstein files allegations

In July 2025, Azealia Banks defended Trump over accusations of him appearing in the Epstein files, claiming that "[having sex with] 14 year old girls was really only made a social taboo in the 1990s".

July 2025: Mockery of Ukrainian marine

In July 2025, Azealia Banks mocked Ukrainian marine Oleksandr Kiriienko's emaciated appearance following his Russian captivity, writing on X, "Well, something needed to stop his fat a** from eating."

July 2025: Remarks on the unnaturalness of being gay or transgender

In July 2025, Azealia Banks sparked controversy for stating that being gay or transgender is unnatural, claiming these identities stem from trauma responses.

2025: Move to Stockholm and Criticism of the City

In 2025, Azealia Banks announced she was moving to Stockholm to collaborate with Swedish DJ Kornél Kovács. After moving, Banks criticized the city's social scene and nightlife via multiple tweets.

2025: Shift in support for trans people

In 2025, Azealia Banks began expressing support for trans people and criticized J.K. Rowling for her "paranoid" views on trans women, denying being transphobic and citing reactions to "activist" rhetoric.

2025: Criticism of Aer Lingus on Twitter

In 2025, Azealia Banks criticized Aer Lingus again on Twitter, repeating comments about the staff's appearances, likening them to characters from James and the Giant Peach, and stating the airline "needs help".

2025: Performance at Tel Aviv Amphitheater

In 2025, Azealia Banks opened her performance at the Tel Aviv Amphitheater in Israel, wearing the Israeli flag and a star of david necklace.

2025: Diagnosis clarification

In 2025, Azealia Banks stated that her bipolar disorder diagnosis was a misdiagnosis and that she has premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

2025: Removal From Milkshake Festival Lineup

In 2025, Azealia Banks was removed from the lineup of the Milkshake Festival due to backlash over Banks' opinions on the LGBTQ community. After Swedish singer Loreen was added to the lineup following Banks' cancellation, Banks insulted her and accused her of being anti-Semitic.