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Festival Nixes Azealia Banks
American rapper and controversial Internet person Azealia Banks was taken off the UK’s Born & Bred Festival bill because of comments she made on Twitter.
Photo: Rich Fury / Invision / AP
Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Empire Polo Field, Indio, Calif.
It all started with Banks accusing ex One Direction singer Zayn Malik of plagiarizing a video of hers, which led to a Twitter beef. In this “tweef” – as this form of internet battle has come to be known – Banks called Malik a couple of things that could be interpreted as racist, which prompted Born and Bred’s promoters to axe her.
The accompanying statement reads: “We have decided to cancel Azealia Banks’ headline appearance at Rinse Born & Bred Festival. Rinse Born & Bred is a celebration of rave culture and has been created for everyone. We celebrate inclusivity and equality.”
Banks has since apologized not for her words but “for the way people feel.” She also made “news” for supporting U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump, which should surprise no one at this point.
Born & Bred celebrates “rave-inspired dance music and soundsystem culture – from grime, hip-hop and drum ’n’ bass to house, techno, garage and beyond” June 4-5 in Haggerston. On the bill are Novelist, Crazy Cousinz, ILOVEMAKONNEN and many others.