What would another day be without Azealia Banks being vexed by another person or entity? Her latest beef is with Beyoncé, a singer she feels gives a bad name to black women. In a barrage of tweets that insisted, “You been singing about this nigga for years and he still playing you. That’s not strength that’s stupidity…” Banks makes it clear the Yoncé’s behavior is a negative example to black women who have long put up with the cheating man cliche.
Banks continued by railing against Beyoncé Formation Tour prices, which seem to favor drawing in a certain (white) demographic. Banks seethed, “She made a song about…hot sauce then put up a tour charging $1300 to ppl she knows damn sure can’t afford that.” But this merely scratches the surface of Banks’ ire, as she also went on to accuse Beyoncé of artistic thievery (a sign you know you’ve made it–just ask Madonna), noting, “Because she’s not a ‘sister’ she’s a poacher. She’s a thief. Sisters don’t steal, sisters share.” Indeed Beyoncé did receive a bout of unfavorable press after the “Formation” video was released and it was revealed that the singer used footage from Abteen Bagheri and Chris Black’s Hurricane Katrina documentary, That B.E.A.T., against their wishes.
So, yes, in many ways, Banks offers several solid points in her Twitter rant de la semaine. But come on Banksy, show respect for an undeniably moving work. This is Beyoncé’s fucking Purple Rain.
