American rapper Azealia Banks is once again at the center of controversy after firing a series of harsh remarks at Afrobeats, Nigerian culture, and Nigerian superstar Rema during a recent podcast appearance.
In the now-viral clip, the rapper dismissed the entire Afrobeats genre and openly mocked Nigerian cuisine and cultural identity.
She said:
“I don’t want to listen to someone singing in pidgin; I’d rather listen to someone sing in patois.” “I don’t like Afrobeats.” “Nigerians have no culture, they’re eating salty rice, and who even cooks with palm oil?” “I don’t like Rema; he’s a skinny little boy.”
The comments immediately sparked outrage across social media, especially among Afrobeats lovers who viewed her statements as disrespectful and intentionally provocative.
Azealia Banks, known as much for her controversies as for her music, has a long history of explosive feuds with celebrities including Remy Ma, Grimes, Nicki Minaj, Lana Del Rey, and Bebe Rexha. Her latest outburst adds Afrobeats fans and Nigerians to her growing list of offended communities.
Clips from the interview are circulating widely, with many fans calling her comments “ignorant,” “unprovoked,” and “another attempt at attention-chasing.” Some users have also pointed out that Afrobeats continues to dominate global charts, questioning why an artist struggling with mainstream success would attack the genre.