Rapper Azealia Banks slams 'racist' Brisbane and says she won't return to Australia

The rapper also cancelled her Brisbane show hours before she was due on stage, calling her past experiences there 'racist'.

Azealia Banks in a pink velvet leotard with glittering tassles, and matching elbow-length gloves

Azealia Banks has had a troubled history with Australian audiences throwing projectiles at her, and has said she won't return. Credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

US rapper Azealia Banks has lashed out over her experiences of touring Australia, and said her current shows here amount to a 'farewell tour'.

She also cancelled her Tuesday night Brisbane show hours before she was due on stage.
In a video posted to the artist's Instagram, Banks had strong words reserved for the city.

“I’m so sorry you guys – actually I’m not sorry – but listen: last time I was in Brisbane and y’all threw shit on the stage and damn near almost f*cking hit me in the face with a f*cking bottle of soda or whatever that sh*t was,” she said.

“That was the most racist, most demoralising experience of my fucking life and right now I’m on a really good track.”

“Sydney and Melbourne are the only cities I really want to play.

“I am a beautiful black woman and I am not going to get in front of some audience of white people for them to be throwing shit at me.

"I am so not sorry. I am not sorry at all. Brisbane, y’all are just going to have to take the L and smoke it.”
Banks soon posted another video saying that the show would go ahead, but that patrons had to check "everything that could be considered a [projectile]."

"No keys, no coins, no hair brushes, no vape pens, no lighters. No drinks on the dancefloor. The minute something stupid happens I’m leaving.”

Concert-goers were left disappointed however, as the show was eventually cancelled.

Despite stating a preference for the other capital cities, Banks went on to criticise the country as a whole, taking aim at perceived exploitation, and declaring she would never return.

“After this run this will be my very last time touring Australia,” she said.

“This place makes me utterly miserable and I’m too black and beautiful to have a bunch of white people in my face playing with me over their weak ass currency.”

Share
Published 14 December 2022 5:22pm
By Dan Butler
Source: NITV


Share this with family and friends


Featured Live Channels

Subscribe to the NITV Newsletter

Receive the latest Indigenous news, sport, entertainment and more in your email inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
Interviews and feature reports from NITV.
A mob-made podcast about all things Blak life.
Get the latest with our nitv podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on NITV
The Point: Referendum Road Trip

The Point: Referendum Road Trip

Live weekly on Tuesday at 7.30pm
Join Narelda Jacobs and John Paul Janke to get unique Indigenous perspectives and cutting-edge analysis on the road to the referendum.
#ThePoint