It’s a slow news week with the holidays fast approaching. So the ongoing feud between Iggy Azalea and the internet seems more entertaining than it probably is. Iggy’s been keeping herself busy with Jingle Ball performances and buying a car for her boyfriend, Nick Young, as the arguments raged on.
We already talked about how Q-Tip delivered an eloquent Twitter lecture to Iggy on the cultural history of hip hop. T.I. stepped up (again) to defend his protege against appropriation claims, and countless other artists tossed their input into the ring. Solange Knowles hopped on the anti-Iggy bandwagon. Will.i.am. came out as team Iggy, as he tweeted, “.@IGGYAZALEA hiphop Is global now…it doesn’t matter if your white or black…thanks for contributing & spreading our culture positively.” Lupe Fiasco added, “Iggy has a place in HipHop…her place.” Lesser known rappers like Kreayshawn tweeted that Iggy “should at least talk about the obscene amount of racism in Australia.”
The root of this leg of the Iggy backlash has to do with her insensitivity to current events. Not every artist should have to “get political,” but Iggy has a history of crappy lyrics and tweets. She’s tweeted and deleted plenty of sexist and misogynistic thoughts. She talked smack about Ferguson protestors. It’s not a question of her deciding not to get political. She does get involved, and then she erases the evidence.
Anyway. Iggy has several words with Twitter in response to Q-Tip’s speech. Surprise … she doesn’t appreciate the education:
(1) Thanks lupe and will iam what you guys said was really nice and i appreciate it.
(2) most people learn every and anything they can about the subjects they are passionate about, I’m no different.
(3) i find it patronizing to assume i have no knowledge of something I’m influenced by, but I’ve also grown up with strangers assuming that.
(4) so its completely fine and I’m used to it by now. i don’t lose any sleep over it.
(5) im also not going to sit on twitter & play hip hop squares with strangers to somehow prove i deserve to be a fan of or influenced by hiphop.
(6) i would have to be an idiot or incredibly bored to think that would change anyones already cemented opinion of me. I’m neither.
(7) how you feel about me blending musical genres together doesn’t bother me, no one is making you support or buy pop rap albums.
(8) its entirely up to you what you support and are interested in, thanks if you are interested in me and enjoy my music. i love to hear that!
(9) now, if you guys don’t mind… I’m on my christmas break enjoying it with people i actually KNOW…. in REAL life. you should do the same.
[From Iggy Azalea on Twitter]
I could understand if Iggy had stopped at saying the lecture felt “patronizing.” But she had to reduce Q-Tip’s informative thoughts to “hip hop squares.” One part of her tweet fest that I agree with — Iggy characterizes herself as “pop rap.” Sounds about right. I’d go further shuffle her into the pop category altogether. Awards shows should stop categorizing her as rap, but the good news is that Iggy probably won’t enjoy much longevity.
P.S. I listened to some of you yesterday and checked out the Hot 97 interview with Azalea Banks. She gave some valid points. If Azalea tweeted like she spoke, people would take her more seriously. I looked at her Twitter page after listening to her solid 47-minute interview. Aaaand she ruined it.
Here’s a photo of Iggy at a tattoo-removal center last month. She’s trying to ditch the ASAP Rocky inking.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
It’s not up to Iggy Azalea, of all people, to lead the revolution. Again, stop projecting your issues onto her. She’s an entertainer.
That’s my opinion as well. +1000
Nobody expects this simpleton to lead anything. We expect her to respect the people who originated the genre and cut out the racist lyrics and tweets. We expect her to acknowledge her privilege just as the successful white rappers who have preceded her have done. And most of all we expect her to JUST STOP with the ministrel show, the black face vocals have got to go.
Kaiser is right, she wont last. If theres one thing a rapper can not survive without, its urban endorsement. I hope for her sake I hope she doesnt win any grammys outside of pop, the audience will eviscerate her with boos.
The only problem is that even this short term success is giving a boardroom of white music execs ideas. Just watch out for a surge in offensive manufactured gabbage from pretty blondes. I’m sure someone somewhere is putting together “the white TLC or SaltnPepper”.
To borrow from Chuck D, here comes the corplantation.
Thanks Delueth ThaAannkksss
Co-sign, QQ. I don’t understand the revolution comment. What.
@Delueth-it would have to Salt-n-Salt or something if it’s all white. No, but seriously, I dread that. Some clueless exec is getting hard just thinking of that sh*t. The thing that determines a great/good performer for me is their live performances. Hers are horrible. Contrast that with the last time I saw Kendrick Lamar, which was SNL a few weeks ago. When he was done I had tears in my eyes, but I was also grinning from ear to ear. If an artist can do that to your heart and brain, that is truth in art. Iggy just will never, ever be able to do that. Gone soon, I think.
And how SPECIFICALLY has she disrespected this genre of music??? Please provide citations, words, and precise occasions where Iggy has insulted and disrespected hip-hop culture. I am all ears and eyes. If you have something concrete, that I am so willing to acknowledge it.
Christoph – how about the fact that her entire “act” is vocal blackface? She sounds nothing like her “songs” when she speaks, she mimics all the imagery she clearly associates with the culture as though she actually grew up in it instead of coming from an entirely different country and adopting a faux-Southern patois as her own. She OPENLY acknowledges that she’s putting this voice on, and she thinks it’s a cool schtick (just search this site! There’s an entire article about how she loves that her rapping/talking voices are not the same!). Her lack of lyrical ability, rapping ability, and history of offensive tweets aside, I’m sure a lot more people would go easy on her if she weren’t such a blatantly offensive caricature of what she believes to be “urban” culture.
And please, she actually raps, “I’m a runaway slave master.” If that’s not an insult to the entire RACE that built hip-hop culture, nothing is. Stop with the apologetic nonsense; most of us cannot wait till this Azalea creature fades away into obscurity.
You’re my internet hero today. Thank you so much for this post.
Thank you Delueth! I’m sorry but so many ignorant and derailing comments here that do not address how problematic Iggy’s ignorance, racism, misogynism, etc is. People, come the f*ck on, how can you guys be okay with this?
SteaminSam—-Please EXPLAIN how this entire act is vocal blackface. I have seen early interviews of Onika Tanya Maraj (Minaj)… at the time when she was an off-broadway actress (circa 2001). She in NO WAY sounds like she does now. Are you saying that Minaj appropriated urban street vocal affectations around 2007 when she began her music career in order to appeal and have street cred with hip-hop fans. And what of Drake????? His early interviews are all over the place when he was a Canadian actor on a Nickelodeon show. Are you now saying that he adopted those speech affectations as well??? Is that now considered double blackface in your opinion??? Please explain.
And to my point above in regard to the specific statement in the Celebitchy article above, I referenced the precise entry “She talked smack about Ferguson protestors.”
I am looking for exactly the TWEET that she has allegedly tweeted and erased regarding this situation.
@deleuth- Thanks for continually finding the strength to fight the ignorance. It comes and goes for me. Sometimes I want to educate, and other days, I just say “EFF it” and let people rot in their lack of awareness. Hopefully this latest tirade of Iggy’s, plus her dismissal of the Ferguson prostestors is the end of her.
Talie, who expects her to lead what revolution?
Not being racist is apparently revolutionary.
AGREED. I am no stan of Iggy by any stretch of the imagination, but I honestly have not seen ONE TWEET from her where she has lambasted the Ferguson protesters that is referenced above. In fact, the WHOLE REASON she is being ridiculed by Banks was because Banks alleged that the insult was that Iggy had said NOTHING. So, I think the commentary above…as much as I love Celebitchy…should highlight the fact that Iggy has said NOTHING to warrant this ridicule. Her subsequent tweets were directed firmly and squarely at Banks.
Honestly, this is a lot of bluster for nothing. Banks decided to pick this vehicle (Iggy) for her latest outburst. Remember when Banks did the same thing with Gaga over a year ago regarding who started the renewed Mermaid trend???? Ridiculous, right???
People need to read and source facts rather that source reactions that may not even be warranted.
Again, not an Iggy fan here, but please-oh-please have a beef with her for something she has actually SAID.
Is her history of offensive comments on Twitter not enough? You want criticism based on things she’s said, why not start there? It’s not hard to find. It’s more than enough reason to “have a beef with her”.
StteaminSam—-The point is that the FERGUSON REFERENCE which this article mentioned ABOVE is FALSE. Banks is a talented opportunist who has not seen the fame she expected to have and, as such, this has found her on the search of a cause, the drama of which she hopes to parlay into the fame she has yet to receive. As I mentioned below in another comment, I am all for reacting to something Iggy HAS SAID, but you are reacting to something that was NEVER UTTERED or TWEETED in this circumstance.
Um expectations for her have been pretty low. Like, ” don’t call yourself a slave master cause oh…. I don’t know you aren’t ever gonna live that down when you are already performing vocal blackface. ” that’s not entertainment – that’s provocation.
Her reaction t q tip is lame and defensive when she should just be thrilled an elderstatesman like him even bothered to tweet things that were not just for her but for everyone to help reframe the dialogue. She’s not american so why would it be patronizing for him to give her and others some historical context that I bet she didn’t know before he tweeted it?
Defending herself against eminent and snoop is justifiable but her reaction to tip was stupid and she needs to sit down already.
What revolution? You mean not being a crappy person?
No, I’m not going to give her a pass because she’s 2 years older than me and still treats people like objects she can steal from for fans. She knows what’s she’s doing. She wants the legitimacy of rap without the burden and whines when people call her out. No one wants her to lead a revolution. They want her to realize that’s it’s do much easier to not be a s***** person.
That green outfit is cringe worthy.
Aaaaannnddd…. clearly shows butt padding?
Aaaaand this is exactly why so many people dislike her. Not solely because she’s successful or white or whatever, but because she is stuck up, ignorant and stubborn IN ADDITION to the whole white successful female rapper from Australia thing. The only reason i even follow this story is because i appreciate what Azealia Banks, Q-Tip, Kendrick Lamar, J-Cole and others like them have to say about cultural appropriation and white privilege.
I agree. I don’t remember where I read it, but it’s clearly true that she’s skated so long on the novelty of being a white woman in this arena that she’s been feeling pretty untouchable (especially when you thrown in fools like TI who do things like claim she can’t possibly know what racism is because she’s not American); only now is she seeing that her skin and sex don’t protect her from the criticisms, and she’s totally unprepared for responding in a dignified, educated manner. She felt she didn’t need to have a history or a real appreciation for the culture other than just liking the music; that’s simply not enough if her plan was to infiltrate and dominate, when she has no leg to stand on when challenged.
Wait, why was Q-Tip’s eloquence “surprising”? He’s always been a very thoughtful man.
Sorry, I should have been clearer. It was surprising that anything eloquent could happen on Twitter.
Gotcha, thanks for the clarification!
It’s like she INSISTS on being simple.
By simple you mean a stupid and dismissive? Yeah .. Is like they are paying her for it
Yes. It’s actually super infuriating.
Dismissive – my biggest problem with her. Who dismisses what q tip took the time to write like that?
She and her fans don’t surprise me at all.
It’s willfull ignorance. Claiming you have no idea what’s going on with your fingers planted firmly deep inside your ears refusing to see reason or hear logic.
The way I see it this criticism of her will only continue to build and mount and rightfully so. She just comes in at the intersection of race, respect, privelage, and ignorance that grates to so many. With so many discussions on history and the structure of this country (oh lookie another killer cop NOT indicted) going on at this moment there is NO way she will be ignored and not called out on. I look forward to her having to defend and deny the truth for every single small step of her career.
She’s the vocal equivalent of someone p*ssing on your head and then telling you it’s raining.
Yes. The thing is that she could probably get away with it if she would just admit to a little of it. If she came to this debate with the slightest bit of humility, of “yes, I understand that I benefit from white privilege; racism still exists and it’s a shame”, it would cost her few fans and gain her many.
Agreed. It’s like when she got called out for remaining silent on issues currently headlining the woes of the black community in the US; she apparently lives the culture, dates a black man, profits off a career in a genre historically dominated by blacks, yet can’t even acknowledge something serious UNTIL she’s called out for it, and only then does she tweet some lighthearted nonsense, “Make sure you sign petitions, hit the streets and protest or donate to groups helping to support and rebuild the community too.” Too little, too late.
How interesting that you accuse Iggy of personifying vocal “blackface” as you put it…and then EXPECT HER to be the one to comment and acknowledge….and not remain silent. So which is it??? Do you want the blackface vocalist to shut up and her career to fade or to speak and acknowledge??? You are speaking out of both sides of your mouth. What precisely will make you happy???
1. She says something or, in the Ferguson case, doesn’t say something….and you are upset.
2. She doesn’t say anything and you are upset.
HUH??
Please. Iggy, Miley, Justin- all these people decide to ‘act black’ and yet when civil issues and injustices (Ferguson, Eric Garner) occur they stay quiet. Excuse me, Iggy spoke on Ferguson but not in a positive way. Macklemore was down in Seattle protesting, he’s a really nice guy btw. But the rest of these people just use this culture to make money, exploiting it based on white privilege, yet say and do nothing when things actually happen.
I loathe this woman.
Tip was not patronizing in the slightest nor did he insinuate she didn’t deserve to be influenced by the genre, in fact, he conceded that despite their differences she had her own story to tell! He was supportive, not condescending, and simply tried to explain why some black Americans were weary of her (at least those who are hip hop fans).
He is, hands down, one of the most influential and intellectual lyricists in the game–A Tribe Called Quest is a beautiful example of what rap use to be like.
He was respectful, rather than perpetually play the role of victim, she should have either ignored him or better yet thanked him for not only being a gentlemen but offering support while acknowledging some of the criticisms thrown her way being from a place of systematic oppression that can manifest itself instinctively when white artists are elevated in certain genres 😒 What’s patronizing was her response and reducing his tweets to “hip hop squares.”
She will NEVER admit her privilege much less entertain an idea contrary to the narrative she has ascribed to herself–I’m really hoping the media calms down on reporting this because all it does it feed into her self victimization routine and elevate her undeserving position as an MC.
If she genuinely understood the history behind rap that tweet about five black guys being arrested outside of Popeye’s followed with the hangtag stereotypes would have NEVER been tweeted.
She needs to be educated but there’s no changing stupid.
At least she has enough self awareness to know she’s a pop artist I guess.
Exactly. He’s a legend and she’s a novice. He was polite, respectful, and engaging in his twitter monologue. Just the slightest admission that she is still learning about the deeply complex issue of racism in America would go a long way. I know I’m still learning about the depth and complexity of racism in my country, and there’s no shame in saying “I’m listening”. But she is too arrogant.
I’m going to step out on a limb here and ask if maybe she really is ignorant to it all BECAUSE she grew up in Australia. I grew up in America so I can never understand what shaped her. And while I live in France now I being white don’t go through half of what my black and Asian friends go through, nor do any of my white French friends understand it either. I’m not defending her but I wonder if spending 16 years insulated from it all made her ignorant to the issues of America’s race problem. I think she should probably educate herself but I know that not everyone cares about being educated. Some are happy to live in blissful ignorance. It’s their prerogative.
I hear what you’re saying but she claims she IS educated about this stuff. There’s no helping that. Sigh.
I hear you, but she’s lived here five years, and as Q-Tip pointed out, she’s building a career in a genre whose whole being is intertwined with race and racism. If she was raised ignorant, I’m sorry about that. But she’s an adult working in an industry with a lot of people of color. It’s her professional and moral responsibility to do better. If she came at this with a little humility, with the spirit of “I am learning”, then her ignorance would at least be understandable. But instead she addresses Q-Tip with an arrogant “I KNOW already, okay??? Leave me alone!” Directed to someone who has been contributing to the art form since she was a child, it’s disrespectful and shows none of her apparent knowledge of every and anything related to hip-hop.
She moved to Miami – by herself – when she was 16 or something. She is more than aware of America’s racial issues.
Perhaps it’s just me but if she wasn’t aware wouldn’t she make LESS racist comments?
It seems more to me she’s absolutely aware and T.I. Is the one trying to fuel the narrative of her not having a clue what’s going on in the world because she’s Australian.
@iseekpinkelefants
I could possibly understand if it weren’t for the fact that the Australian treatment of its aboriginal peoples weren’t so utterly atrocious.
Racism is rampant in the land of Oz.
She lived in Miami, Houston, ATL, and now LA.
Furthermore, it wasn’t just this one joke about black men being arrested… there was the one about how nice it was being back in the south and not hearing Mexican accents… there was the one about how badly bodies Latinas are… the other one wear show calls an Asian woman a bitch for not understanding English–I won’t even touch the homophobic ones OR the one against First Nation people 😒
Trust and believe, she knew what she was doing then and knows what she’s doing now.
She’s racist, NOT because she’s white, but because she’s a vapid and entitled human being.
From the day I saw that video clip of hers, the one in where she is in high school, I could NOT stand the girl!!! I actually thought it was a parody. Sooooooooooooooooo bad!
I still can not believe TI is always coming to her defense … It must be the “damsel in distress ” syndrome.
Anyways, I’m glad I’m not the only one you can not that sh!t !
I’m convinced she threw out that “pop-rap” reference because even she knows she cannot legitimately call herself a rapper or hip hop artist.
Iggy Azalea is a flash in the pan. She’s this generation’s Vanilla Ice. I say let her have her fun and make her money.
Agreed. She is a flash in the pan. And the reaction to her is overreaching in this circumstance. Yes, not everything in the universe has to be either/or. Iggy can be both a flash in the pan, offensive with some tweets, not offensive with others, and the reaction to some can be just, and the overreaction to other tweets can be unjustified. YES, all of this can happen in the same universe at the same time. The people that like to simplify their world with all-or-nothing thinking are in my thoughts this holiday season.
WHY should she stop being ignorant anyway? She’s making loads of money being mediocre and engaging in cultural appropriation. There’s absolutely no motive, outside of having a conscience, to change. And that doesn’t pay, at least not in dollars and cents. As many others have said, black excellence being mined and whitewashed for mainstream audiences is nothing new and will continue unless (industry) attitudes change. Dum spiro spero.
If someone critiques something I did, like a piece of work, with respect and authenticity the way Q-Tip did with Azalea, I would respond with some of my thoughts on the issues/angles/topics raised. This was an opportunity for Iggy Azalea to engage with thoughtfulness on the history and tradition and legacy of hip hop/rap and do some work to chip away at those legitimate cultural appropriation questions. But instead she got defensive and “Of course I know this stuff i learn every and anything”. And, you know, while she may well know what she’s influenced by and how people, black people, feel about that, she assumes that we must take her word for it. Girl, white privilege, it is you.
“What do you read?”
“Oh you know everything, just everything”
She’s surprised people challenge her on being a fake rapper when she can’t respond to anything unless it’s with ignorance or a PR statement. Sometimes I think she’s always shutting down discussions because she’s afraid she’d let the truth about herself come out. Like someone’s racist grandma who always has a tight-lipped smile and acts real polite and formal around me.
I could totally see Palin and Azalea hanging out.
“I can see Russia from my house!”
“Ooh, what about Oz, mate?”
“We may have to go to Todd’s deck for that! Yeah, you betcha!”
“Great, while we’re there I’ll make fun of every race of people who are not white! For funsies! Like the people bringing our drinks.”
It’s Kardashian-esque too. I remember an interview where Kim said “I just love apps”, and when asked which apps she loves, she replied “Oh, you know, just every app!” Except it’s less offensive coming from Kim because she’s not claiming to have artistic integrity.
Well considering all of her wonderful racists tweets that she wiped when she blew up…your statement is spot on. Plus she has some nerve to be in the hip hop community talking about how she’s a “slave master”. She is mediocre at best so I don’t see her lasting. Her two best songs are with people that sing the catchy hooks. I couldn’t name one of her songs that is just her. Hope she fades away soon.
And for people who want to know where this is coming from, read the comments from yesterday’s story. There’s a ton of great comments on there
She’s not talented. I have no interest in her music. What I do find interesting is the fact that someone as intelligent as Q Tip would decide to waste his knowledge on her. She doesn’t care about the history of hip hop or about being sensitive to protests revolving around police brutality in the US. She is here to make cold hard cash. Period.
And as for her race and whether she would be winning awards if she weren’t white? I believe all of that frustration from true rap fans stem from the fact that there is no popular alternative. There are plenty of talented female rappers out there if you want to go look for them but right now the only other truly popular female rapper out there is Nikki Minaj and her lyrics are not what I would call insightful. Fans of r&b and hip hop are in the position we’re in right now because the majority of us will not just ignore the fixed award shows and pandering media. Just go out and find some good music and leave the rest to the people who are not true fans of the genre anyway.
I understand The Education of Iggy by Q-Tip as less about her and more about laying it out for young minds who may wander into this topic, what with the context of rap/hip-hop in America AND with everything going on right now with cops and killings and protests. I’d like to think that’s also why he took the time.
Ok, I can see that. It’s too bad he chose that platform though because it gives her a look of having way more importance in these issues than she actually has.
I think he was trying to reframe the dialogue and give the public a nice historical context at the same time and her reaction should have been to at least acknowledge a legend showing some desire to make the exchanges more cerebral. Tip has always been a voice of reason.
I understand looloo already explained this but I just want to elaborate.
The thing to keep in mind is what’s said in a public forum is as much for the public as it is the single individual you’re sending it to.
Just from reading the topic on her yesterday I saw so many people being willfully ignorant or trampling on intelligent comments others had started with their “White privelage?? What white privelages??? She doesn’t owe anyone anything! Wish I could find some of this white privelage people keep saying I have!!”
It’s not just simply not agreeing which is fine, it is choosing to be blind in the face of so many different opinions and realities. Tip sent that message not just to her but the fans who, while some like her aware of the discussion surrounding her, others are just as ignorant as she is.
I think it’s VERY important to send those messages. Similar to Kevin Hart’s comment after the Sony exposure. You speak to your fans and your detractors and let them know not from the perspective as an entertainer but as a educated and informed human being – the fact Iggy couldn’t rise to that challenge doesn’t shock me at all.
She’s not worth all the attention she’s getting, good or bad.
If you can sift through, Azealia can actually be pretty insightful. I’ve followed her for a while and She says some very intelligent things on her Twitter. Some of it is even stuff I didn’t know about. But if you see her go off on one of her rants watch out.
But that’s what twitters about. Expressing yourself. The good and the bad.
I read through some of her twitter and found some of it insightful as well.
just some though. lol!
However she is only famous because she is so unpleasant and vocal. She doesn’t release any music. Her opinions don’t deserve this widespread attention. Also, if someone who so fiercely criticizes someone for being racist is then outwardly racist themself… well it’s hypocritical and makes them look foolish. The stuff she says about white people is racist. It is plain to see.
She can criticize Iggy all she likes and make claims that she is famous because she is white ; perhaps Banks would be more famous ot successful if she actually rapped once in a while.
You may not be familiar with Azealia Banks career but she has released music, recently as well as prior, done music videos and performed at numerous festivals. It seems like a lot of people aren’t actually aware of what’s going on with the hip-hop side of the story. Banks is well known in those circles, sadly only her Twitter rants and fights have broken mainstream popularity. She’s wrong for a lot of what she says and can be a hypocrite…but she’s also often brutally correct.
I am happy that a good amount of people understand why the essence of Iggy Azalea is offensive. Too bad she thinks that she’s being oppressed by the black community. Isn’t that something? Her career won’t get any better than this. People are being vocal. People are becoming aware. Iggy continues to play stupid.
Please precisely cite where she said she is being oppressed by the black community?? I sooo want to read that.
“Saying” and “thinking” are two very different things. One is vocalized from the mouth; one is not. It doesn’t take a genius to know that Iggy feels like she is being unfairly shut out of the Hip-Hop/Rap base. It doesn’t take a genius to infer that Iggy feels she is being targeted and “oppressed” based on her race. The word “said” does not appear in my original comment.
1000+ Blythe.
To support your explanation, heres a link with her ignorant tweets and fb posts, amd in some she complains about that. Again, its not hard to guess she feels shut out.
http://bossip.com/1035394/fancy-racist-a-gallery-of-iggy-azaleas-most-controversial-tweets/
Oh, so this is all based upon INFERENCE….YOUR PERCEPTION? Okay. And again where has she used the words that caused your INFERENCE for “oppression.” Please cite specifics or the words you are using to make your INFERENCE then. And to the citation above, I am in agreement that the tweets linked are offensive. Back to Blythe’s point, where are the references to examples where there is the INFERENCE that she has been “oppressed??”
Are you her body gaurd?
dcs—Are you the follow-up poster whose question is the attempted red herring to divert from the commentary above?
I am getting old. what on earth is “hip hop squares”?
tia!
Lol, she was being an ignorant ass.
I think she was trying to act like the discussions and challenges she’s facing are similar to the old game show ‘Hollywood Squares’ with a tic-tac-toe board of hip hop stars as in its all just a game and she doesn’t feel like playing.
Like Hollywood squares, but with rappers. Shows on mtv I think
An artist who doesn’t accept critique is not truly an artist and will never become one. Iggy can go choke on that unwarranted ego of hers, bye bitch.
One can acknowledge criticism, but there’s no celebrity rule that one has to accept it….especially when the criticism is unwarranted. What exactly has Iggy done? Can you please cite precisely the action and on what date …or what she said on what date that deserves criticism??? Surely such a passionate response is grounded in something concretely factual.
“criticism is unwarranted” – Christoph, this takes the cake. What a grandiose, nearly obscene display of ignorance. You are wasting people’s time with your 5th comment(!) demanding people provide you with citations. Please do yourself a favor and make use of a search engine to educate yourself. No one has the time to do so for you, if this is the game you’re playing (trolling?).
Trolling, trolling, trolling.
Willful ignorance is not a good look. You really need to be on Iggy’s payroll because she needs as many sycophants as she can acquire to cushion her rapid descent.
Thanks for playing.
There’s an absolute ton of horrendous musicians from all genres out there, with horrid opinions too, Iggy’s getting flak because of her looks… nothing else.
What looks?
I guess blaming jealousy is eager than educating yourself on what’s actually happening here.
You’re the perfect Iggy fan.
I think you missed the point darling. Sounds like you could use a bottle of wine and a lay.
“Iggy’s getting flak because of her looks …”
You meant, “Iggy is getting flack because she’s white.”
There’s no need to sugarcoat your agenda. We all know what you meant.
Both assumptions are wrong. Hip-Hop and Rap have opened arms to talented white rappers and emcees. Iggy is not talented. Iggy is not innovative. Iggy is a caricature. Iggy, reportedly, does not write her own bars. However, Iggy still gets praise. Iggy still gets booked for shows. Iggy wins awards.
But for some (odd) reason, especially considering the history of discrimination in the United States, people like you cannot comprehend why an untalented white Australian “rapper” getting a significant amount of praise over phenomenal (and conscious) black rappers would be an issue.
Ugh… I meant because she’s not the prettiest. 95% of the flak she gets is saying she looks like a dude in drag and she kinda does. Thanks for turning it into a race thing though. Yikes.
95% of the flak is not because she “looks like a dude”, but you’re an Iggy supporter who isn’t trying to see that this entire issue is based on culture appropriation and race. I’m not surprised you’d blind yourself to the facts.
“the good news is that Iggy probably won’t enjoy much longevity”. Yes. I was actually thinking about this on the drive to work this morning. I can’t see her having much longevity in the hip hop OR pop industry. She’s a gimmick with no real talent (writing or rapping). It was pointed out yesterday that her only hits have been with other artists singing the bridge to her songs. She can’t push a song just by herself. Perhaps I’ll be proven wrong, but I can’t currently see her lasting much longer, based on her weak songs and the negativity she is now receiving on Twitter and in the press. There are artists out there who continually make songs featuring other artists (Timbaland and Pitbull are the ones I’m mostly thinking about) that are always big hits, but Timbaland and Pitbull have actual talent OR at least the ability to write a really catchy tune that becomes a hit. They also have charisma and stage presence, a big part of being a successful entertainer. Iggy Azalea lacks all of these things in my opinion, plus she is an ignorant idiot, which is disappointing because I really do enjoy seeing unique and/or interesting artists emerge and make a success of it (she is also neither unique or interesting).
People got tired of hating on Kim Kardashian…seems like Iggy is the new Kim Kardashian. They both have a lot in common if you think about it ! No one thought Kim would still be around but she is…I think Iggy could end up with a reality show and making her money in ways other than music. Isn’t there rumors of an Iggy sex tape as well?
You can’t take Kim hatred from us. You can’t. I won’t let you. (Okay, I dislike Iggy but she’ll be gone by the end of next year whereas Kim continues to be like herpes, popping back up when you think they finally went away) I can loathe both equally. 😉
LOL ! Not gonna lie, Kim is great filler for those days when there is nothing else going on in Hollywood. Kim even puts out fake stories about herself just to get in the blogs. I guess that’s the difference between her and other celebs?
Wow, Iggy is really everyone’s punching bag. She never seems to catch a break from people calling her racist and attacking her for not being whatever they project onto her. So she’s white and she’s been influenced by hiphop and rap, and she loves the scene. So what? I’ve grown up listening to rap and hiphop and I’m white. It’s part of our generation, whether you’re from Australia or the US or Europe. Culture is fluid and it influences easily and it is absorbed easily, it doesn’t “belong” to any one individual, it is shared and spread around.
That wasn’t the point… Didnn’t you read through all the comments since yesterday explaining why she’s in the wrong?
But it is the point, the “Cultural appropriation” thing is always attached. And yeah, because she won best rap album. Big deal. Most awards are about popularity anyway, otherwise Angel Haze would be named “best female rapper”, not Nicki Minaj. Rap and hip hop have become all about showing off the lifestyle, hardly the socio-political statement of the genre’s roots. Actually, if you look at rap in other countries (including Australia ) the themes are much closer to classic rap than the crap spewed today by most American rappers.
Except even the most commercialized rapper has spoken about their background, the struggle of blacks, the economic imbalance in this country – sorry maybe you didn’t hear those songs because they’re not played on Top 40 Radio.
Really? Every single rapper has had to pass a “history of rap” test in order to be considered legit? Give me a break. Just because Iggy refuses to be bullied into it doesn’t mean she thinks rap came from Harvard.
Damn I had no idea there was music outside the top 40!
LMAO. No, I said even the most commercialized rapper has been able to put one song out where they honestly and openly discuss issues pertaining to the black community.
So for all the hip hop and rap you’ve grown up hearing you don’t actually listen to anything other than mainstream radio music and expect you’ll be able to fairly and accurately defend Iggy?
Sadly this lack of knowledge is what’s hurting Iggy too. Other genres of music would have allowed her to create an entire identity and fake her way through it (worked for Gaga!) but she decided to choose a genre where authenticity is demanded, skill has to be proven, and challenges will be made…and she can’t handle it. Nothing that has happened to her is new, it’s happened to dozens of rappers male and female before her. The simple truth is she’s out of her league.
You know, I must say I’m surprised. I expected the site to be raising a fuss about the unofficial troll that claimed he was Anonymous. Good to see that everyone knew the person behind that account was fake while the real Anonymous collective continue to work behind the scenes with things that actually matter (not being Iggy’s tape).
Iggy is a punching bag for sure. She isn’t required to explain herself or her art to anyone. The real issue at hand is what Azalea Banks said about black people feeling like Iggy is making money off of something they created “for themselves.”
But Azalea Banks, you cannot have it both ways. If black people can make classical/baroque music without criticism, then a white girl can make rap and you need to STFU about it. Iggy makes catchy tunes with elements of rap, which is a WAY popular genre right now. Culture is fluid, and “black neighborhoods” have plenty of whites while white neighborhoods have many black people. The urban experience doesn’t REQUIRE dark skin. The experience of American poverty DOESN’T require dark skin. Racism is real and it cannot be dismissed but Banks pretty much suggests that white people shouldn’t be allowed to make rap, let alone be considered for awards in the rap category. That doesn’t fight or combat racism in any way, in fact it makes sh*t worse.
Can you imagine if a young African woman rose to fame playing Bach and Beethoven pieces on the violin? Can you imagine if even one person said some bullsh*t like she doesn’t have the right to make that music because it comes from Europe and isn’t her culture? THAT WOULD BE AWFUL! We’d all flip out! Azalea Banks is awful and annoying, her attitude is crap and her own feelings about herself and her jealousy of Iggy is what shines through. She doesn’t care about rap, she is pissed that Iggy has fame and money while Banks’ claim to fame is getting in Twitter feuds.
I love this post. I can’t understand why a) Banks can say the most homophobic, racist things on Twitter to the point that her record label dumped her and b) Iggy does not know Q-Tip and she doesn’t have to care about his tweets. Because he “took the time” to send a bunch of tweets to her? Who cares? I love Tribe Called Quest and respect him but she doesn’t owe him anything.
No she doesn’t have to care about his tweets but it only further makes the case for cultural appropriation. Respect for what and who came before you is vital in many cultural contexts, including my own. When an elder of yours speaks to you with generosity and respect, a response like iggys looks bratty and dismissive. Q tip is a legend and his tweets weren’t just fir her but everyone to try to elevate the discourse more instead of keeping it in the gutter. Missed opportunity on her part.
But how many “black” rappers have a real appreciation of the cultural context? Do they also gave to be scholars in order to be allowed to rap? It’s not like Iggy is talking about life in Harlem in the 80s, she’s using the same style (albeit less vulgar) as Nicki Minaj: bragging and talking about her own life.
Yes I wish Common had won best rap album, and I wish real artists got rewarded for their work, but this isn’t on Iggy. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.
Val- It’s not about being a scholar but appreciating the cultural context from where hip hop came from. Like lill Wayne referenced Emmett till to describe how much he was going to sexually ruin his lover once and there was a huge outcry for showing so much disrespect in a similar fashion that iggy got ripped on for saying slave master. So it’s not a one sided sort is situation. With Iggy I think with some of her past missteps( bigoted tweets and racist lyrics), she should show more humility in regards to q tips engagement because image wise she comes off entitled in general – which is a key factor with cultural appropriation. As for appreciating? I thinks in America are not far enough removed to simply appreciate since that infers merely observing in some respects instead of experiencing things first hand.
@delia I agree that the slave master thing was a bit of a stupid oversight (and she apologised), but then again how many people produced that song?!
I understand what you’re saying about stuff she tweeted in the past, I think she lacks sensitivity because she doesn’t see the racial differences- if you grow up in a multiracial environment you can easily lose that, because to you everyone is the same. In particular if Iggy was hanging out with a bunch of black people in Miami, to her they were just a community she blended into, not “inferior people with a different skin colour”. So she doesn’t think twice about saying stuff that people who don’t know her find offensive.
Rap isn’t just American anymore, and racial segregation and poverty aren’t just American; rap in other countries isn’t about the black American struggle, it’s about their own struggle in Australia, France or wherever. Socio-political rap is lost in the US, for every Lupe Fiasco there are 50 idiots rapping about sex and booze.
If she doesn’t see racial differences for some naive reason and is so easily manipulated to utter slave master, then good God more than ever her response to q tip makes her look willfully ignorant and entitled and disrespectful.
My only problem with her is she DOES come off tone deaf and willfully ignorant about why her missteps without taking any feedback into consideration. I could care less about her music.
Your comparison does not work. There is a difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. Look, azealia banks has some valid points but she also says some straight up ignorant villainy as well. She doesn’t get a free pass here. I thought snoop and eminem were being disgusting to iggy too. But her response to banks this last time was tone deaf and her dismissal of q tip was just straight idiotic of her and its what makes me want her to shut up and sit down now.
Thank you!
AMEN JessSaysNo. You said it better than I ever could.
Except per your own example the black person doing baroque music would know its history, would be able to comment on their love and passion for it and would likely be willing and able to comment on the limited appearance of other blacks in the genre.
Things Iggy is unable and unwilling to do.
Time and again people have said white people can embrace hip hop, but clearly she and others don’t want to listen, learn or truly join in. They want to detach and separate from the history, only dipping a toe in to collect money and immediately running for shore the second they are asked to engage. THAT is what is appropriating and it is why she is and will continue to be called out for every second of her career.
I’ve said this before… If some white nobody went to China and started singing with a Chinese accent, TELL ME no one would be offended? This sh** is racist and I can’t believe she’s getting away with it… There are so many racist fools apologizing for her it’s disgusting.
I follow KPop (Korean Pop music) and there’s a guy who had tried to do exactly that. He hasn’t been successful, mostly because he isn’t very good. If only that were the case here.
Are you actually serious? MANY people from other countries (UK, Russia, South Africa, Colombia etc) come to America and drop their accents in songs. Ever heard Shakira sing in English? Many of her songs sound like an American singing. Is anyone offended? Hell no. So a Colombian can adopt a white accent and we’re fine but of an Australian adopts a black accent it’s racist?! Do you find it racist when Shakira sings in Afrikaans in “This one for Africa?”
…a white accent?
Dropping or toning down your accent doesn’t mean you’re trying to sound white, if anything she was trying to become a musician not as closely associated with her past style and possibly speak more clearly for a new audience.
Iggy is actively trying to sound like she’s from the ‘dirty’ south. A style of rap and speaking that only occurs with rapers from that region. East-coast rappers sound different so it’s not a ‘black’ thing. If a rapper went to her homeland and tried to act like they were born and raised in Oz they’d be ripped to shreds too. It’s moronic.
@JessSaysNo I think it has to do with the fact that she learned to rap in Miami – and probably picked up the style from the scene there. Something that’s pretty much natural – you tend to absorb the environment around you, especially if you’re alone in a foreign country and trying to fit in. Especially if you’re emulating a group you admire. People seem to forget that! I’m pretty sure if she started rapping in an Aussie accent on the Miami streets she would have been chased off.
….a white accent? WTF? *headdesk* are you seriously criticizing Shakira for refining her non-native ESL accent by enunciating properly to improve lyric recognition for her fans? That’s a white accent? Because my next door neighbor is German, white as can be, and has the thickest accent to the point I can barely understand her. Same goes for my very blond, very blue eyed, white Ukrainian neighbor.
PS: Shakira is Colombian of Lebanese descent. Also known as Caucasian. Also known as…white. Hispanic/Latina is a CULTURE, not a RACE.
Has anyone seen Malibu’s most wanted? Jamie Kennedy’s character is very much like Iggy – untalented, clueless, pretentious. Although Jamie’s character was fashioned after Eminem, he comes off as someone like Chet Haze. Now, Iggy defenders, will you defend Chet Haze passionately like you defended Iggy? Replace Iggy with Chet Haze and I wonder if people will take you seriously.
Seriously, Malibu’s most wanted really comes to mind. I find it so odd that her “fans” are being so willfully ignorant. Her act is so comical…
Team Iggy. I think it’s so silly how people are calling her racist because she’s a white woman who sounds black. Let’s come for Sam Smith next. He’s a white man who sounds black! Puh-lease.
That’s absolutely not what people are saying, but again I’ve noticed she and her fans really embrace passionate willful ignorance.
Sam Smith is respectful to his peers in his genre and says where his style comes from. His act isn’t a gimmick. If Iggy didn’t make herself a gimmick she wouldn’t be receiving the comments she is receiving. Also, Sam Smith isn’t in the same genre, and he’s authentic and talented. So you’re not even making a good argument. If you were comparing Iggy to Kreashawn it would make sense.
I’m pretty surprised that anyone would say Australians don’t know about racism! Like Maria said, racism is abundant in Oz. The way they treat the aboriginal population is horrible.
Meh. She’s an untalented boring troll in buttpads. Her 15 minutes will be up soon enough.