It’s famously difficult to win Azealia Banks‘ approval, but Taylor Swift has it. And in a series of posts on X Wednesday (Jan. 29), the rapper gave a detailed explanation why.
After previously declaring that Swifties make up one of the only fanbases she actually likes, Banks responded to a follower who asked her to elaborate. “Cause they don’t bother anybody,” she obliged. “Taylor doesn’t bother anybody. To have beef with her or over is a real sign of TRUE lack of self esteem.”
“Like Kanye Tyler charli whoever else is a f–kin lame,” the “212” artist continued, referencing Ye’s famous feud with the “Anti-Hero” artist, Tyler, the Creator’s recent clash with Swifties, and the Charli XCX’s rumored tension with Swift; the Brat artist and superstar later sang each other’s praises, debunking the rumors. “She really makes her music and minds her biz.”
In the replies, Banks also praised the 14-time Grammy winner for promoting Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” back in the early 2010s before the track fully blew up and launched the Queen of Rap into superstardom. Minaj has also previously credited Swift for having a hand in the song’s success, and in 2011, the two women performed it together on the latter’s Speak Now World Tour.
“Like what other white female artist would share her platform with a black girl like that without asking for anything in return but just out of sheer f–king respect for the music?” Banks added. “Not a single one of them. They always want something in return and I really respect the way she carries herself it’s refreshing.”
Banks’ approval of Swift might come as a surprise to some knowing how many other stars the former has verbally struck down over the years. One of the “Liquorice” artist’s most recent targets was Grimes, whom she accused of “trying to paint me like the [villain]” before alleging that Elon Musk had “dumped” and “cheated on” the “Oblivion” singer; Grimes quickly fired back, “i didn’t ‘get dumped.’ I bounced.”
Shortly before that, Banks sparred with Matty Healy over comments the former made about Charli XCX. The exchange crested when the New York native said that The 1975 frontman’s fiancée, model Gabriette, looked “like Frankenstein,” after which Healy said he was “going to f—ing slap [Banks] so hard I’ll get a Guinness world record” before announcing that he was stepping back from X. “I don’t have the right kind of intelligence / emotional maturity etc for social media I literally just end up saying stuff that immediately regret,” he wrote.
See Banks’ posts about Swift below.
Cause they don’t bother anybody. Taylor doesn’t bother anybody. To have beef with her or over is a real sign of TRUE lack of self esteem. Like Kanye Tyler charli whoever else is a fuckin lame she really makes her music and minds her biz https://t.co/5s7zwfotYl
— Azealia Banks (@azealiaslacewig) January 29, 2025
Like what other white female artist would share her platform with a black girl like that without asking for anything in return but just out of sheer fucking respect for the music? Not a single one of them. They always want something in return and I really respect the way she…
— Azealia Banks (@azealiaslacewig) January 29, 2025
