Azealia Banks has been dropped from a London festival over a series of tweets in which she directed racist and homophobic slurs against former One Direction member Zayn Malik.
“We have decided to cancel Azealia Banks’ headline appearance at Rinse Born & Bred,” Rinse FM tweeted Wednesday. “Rinse Born & Bred is a celebration of rave culture and has been created for EVERYONE. We celebrate inclusivity and equality.”
The exchange that cost Banks the festival began on Tuesday when she pointed out on Instagram that Malik’s new music video looks similar to one of hers. “Damn Zayn be mood boarding the fuck of out me,” she wrote with a collage of images from both videos. “I’m not mad about this though. Zayn is a cutie pie.”
That changed when Malik sent a few vague tweets that Banks assumed were directed at her. “Imma start calling you punjab you dirty bitch,” Banks tweeted. “You a dick rider for real for real. Ride this dick until the wheels fall off Punjab.” And that was just the beginning of her her expletive-filled attack on the pop star.
“Why you been saying nasty things about me?” Malik asked. “I wasn’t talking about you.” But she continued to post racial remarks, and claimed that the “Pillow Talk” singer gave out her number to fans.
Malik opted out of the conversation, but then singer Lily Allen got involved after Banks said she would “bear arms” even if she travelled to the United Kingdom.
Why do the Police shut down @Giggs or @nines1ace raves but @AZEALIABANKS is cool to just come here threatening to bring arms ?don't get it
— Lily A (@lilyallen) May 11, 2016
See all of Banks’ tweets below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFO6qsqn1by/?taken-by=azealiabanks
No lies … I see you reaching but I don't care ?✌?️
— zayn (@zaynmalik) May 10, 2016
My @'s too good for you
— zayn (@zaynmalik) May 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730144930933428226
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730145518198902784
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730146154143490048
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730147217336578048
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730152344655151104
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730165089576333313
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730165467596328960
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730165930668503042
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730172596134805504
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730173000943841281
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730173487365685248
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730174571022815232
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730174725536747520
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730174819275280384
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730185673806843905
@AZEALIABANKS why you been saying nasty things about me ? I wasn't talking about you lol ?
— zayn (@zaynmalik) May 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730270007175872512
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730270599411535872
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730272543840538624
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730272739160936449
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730273038541926400
https://twitter.com/AZEALIABANKS/status/730273243244941312
ANNOUNCEMENT: @RinseFM I @bornandbredLDN pic.twitter.com/AB3wnTaSru
— Born & Bred (@bornandbredLDN) May 11, 2016