Rapper Azealia Banks has landed herself in yet another social media ordeal. Posts by Banks celebrating her engagement to Ryder Ripps prompted accusations of anti-Semitism. Rather than apologize, Banks launched into a transphobic tirade.
The saga began February 22, when Banks posted a picture of her new engagement ring on in a since-removed Instagram post. “I said yes!!!” Banks captioned the photo. “I just got engaged k*nts. I’m crying …. I’m Jewish now. MAZEL TOV BITCHES! WE IN HERE…. YERRRRRRR.”
Commenters on the post, however, pointed out that marrying a Jewish man does not make Banks Jewish. Rather, she would have to go through a full conversion ceremony to be considered Jewish herself.
“Getting engaged with a Menorah ring doesn’t make you Jewish,” wrote commenter @baruch.mizrahi. “Judaism is an ethnic religion. You can convert, but it takes a lot of effort, commitment, and work to do the conversion process.”
That set Banks off. Metro Weekly reports that the rapper began inexplicably savaging the transgender community in her own defense.
Related: Azealia Banks suspended from Twitter…again
“I try to tell the transgirls that getting castrated doesn’t automatically make them a female but if society can do the mental gymnastics to lie and tell them an eggless person who still produces semen is a woman and let them rock, you are all going to bend the rules to accept this newly black Jewish coochie. I’m Jewish now…you can’t stop me,” Banks wrote in one comment.
“[W]hy can you chop ur cock and say ur a girl but I can’t catch the Jewish nut and say I’m Jewish? Stop trying to exclude black people from everything,” she wrote in another.
“I live for the trans girls but the trans sh*t is a non issue,” she said in another. “Just gay boys on hormones using male aggression to force their ways into women’s spaces.”
Banks’ statements invited condemnation from The National Black Justice Coalition. The group aims to promote LGBTQ rights and acceptance within the African-American community.
“Azealia Banks’ latest transphobic tirade is yet another example of why she should be suspended from Instagram. Her attacks on trans people, while sadly predictable, contribute to the disproportionate violence that trans people face in the United States and around the world,” executive director David Johns said in a statement. “With at least seven of our trans siblings having already been murdered in the U.S. this year alone, we are on track for 2021 to be the most deadly year for transgender people on record. Violence against trans people is a national crisis — and Azealia Banks’ vitriolic remarks only make this growing crisis worse.”
“Instagram needs to step up and stop Banks from using her platform to spread hate and transphobia,” Johns concluded.
This isn’t the first time Banks has run afoul with the trans community. Twitter banned the rapper from its platform in October 2020 after Banks issued a bizarre rant blaming transgender people for a lack of help to the Latino community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though Banks identifies as bisexual, she has also attracted criticism in the past for perceived homophobic rants against PrEP, RuPaul and Kanye West.
Donston
I don’t really see any need to waste energy and internet space on highlighting all the shit Azealia says. We all know what she is about by this point. The girl doesn’t have an ounce of empathy in her. This is someone who was needlessly and randomly calling a bunch of female pop performers “fat”. This is a girl who boiled her dead cat’s bones to make a soup. Even when she makes some uncomfortable points it’s always surrounded by self-victimizing, bitterness, ignorance, judgment and vitriol. Just stop giving her attention, and if you still fvck with music (like I do) stop reaching to defend her.
Liquid Silver
She seems nice. And sensible. And thoroughly together, and not at all attention-seeking or narcissistic.
Den
What is it about popular culture these days that elevates so many crass and stupid people?
As for this:
“Stop trying to exclude black people from everything,”
If she knew how to use Google, or had even a tiny bit of intellectual curiosity she would know that there are many thousands of Black Jews, not all converts as Judaism has roots in Africa that go back possibly 1000 years.
Never heard any of her recordings, does this woman actually possess any talent?
Donston
Yes. Very good rapper. Pretty solid singer. Some very catchy songs with her own style and flair. Her music has gotten praise from many popular acts (Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Ray, Troye Sivan, etc.). Had a lot of hype about 7-8 years ago. But she’s burned a ton of bridges and is constantly saying controversial or hateful things for the sake of it. Within some of her rants there is a kernel of truth or something that can be discussed. But it’s always surrounded by hate and her desire to feel like a victim while randomly attacking others. And many times she’s just completely off target.
SaintRock
Do not care if you throw a hissy…. but she makes a valid point as far as how people react. I do not care what you call yourself he/she/it/thing……. I don’t care…. but. you never change your DNA XY XX , and any mutation therin …. so 1000 yrs your DNA will name you regardless what you call yourself and I do not care and she can call herself Jewish… no big deal….. by injection is enough. lol….. get over yourself people… Welcome to the Zombie Birdhouse Jungle….. Life is a blast and crass. kiss kiss bang bang
Leash
If you really don’t care how people identify themselves you’d shut up about how people are not really male or female beause of DNA. That’s not very nice. How would you feel if you had to read comments like that if you were transgender? Try to put yourself in other peoples shoes.
Donston
I am uncomfortable with using Azealia as some example to stop people getting murdered. Anyone who’s paid attention to Azealia already knows she has ranted against every damn body, including black people and black women and “fat” people and “gays”. While her randomly declaring that she sees trans women as “men” is unnecessary and hateful. However, even if you see trans women as “men” that doesn’t equate to it being okay to kill anyone. That doesn’t even mean that you see them as lesser than. That’s like someone saying they think people choose to be “gay”. Even if you think that it doesn’t mean it’s okay to kill “gays” or that you’re supporting that. Azealia (as well as quite a few others) is pretty much using certain demos’ desperation for validation and to be seen as whatever against them and to to troll them. Don’t indulge it and don’t feed into her need for attention.
I’mma also need people and the media to stop using identities as shields or to add sensationalism. First, Azealia never really embraced a “bi” identity. But even if she did, your public identities, who you have sex with, who you have commitments with, your overall preferences don’t say a ton. You of course can be a “straight” guy and also be misogynistic. You can be trans and be trans-phobic or homophobic. You can be a “gay” or “queer” guy and be anti-gay, homophobic, see “gays” as lesser than, be a “pick me ‘queer”. And so on. All of this is some of the downsides with there being so much identity dependence and identity validation seeking.
BoomerMyles
What an ugly hearted stupid bitch.
missvamp
cancel this moron already. ugh
armandov
She’s been saying sh*t like this for years and at her age now, it’s no longer a cute look. She needs to grow the F up.
iminheatlikeacat
Ahh, Azelia Banks. Still making valid points but let down by the ranting and foul language. IMO She’s not wrong though.
Leash
Valid points where??
inbama
When she announced her marriage, people should’ve just congratulated her.
Leash
And I’m sure alot of people did. But people have the right to point out that marrying a jew doesn’t make you automatically jewish.
JohnCad93
@Leash. In the same vein, people have the right to point out that being born XY and identifying as a woman is mental gymnastics for most of society. Transwomen are TRANSWOMEN. End of story.
To the trans-person reading this: you’re feelings are valid, and you’re deserving of happiness and liberty.
Leash
@John Cant compare. One is educational the other one is just being mean. For you biology or what someone has between their legs is more important than what a person feels, for me not. Wow that little disclaimer at the end really didn’t help you still sound like an asshole.
Jack Meoff
Her grasp on the English language is barely intelligible. Is that on purpose?
whateverokok
Her grasp of the English Language is as firm as a gay man’s grasp on his nightly hookups peen. And it is tighter than an virgin’s p–sy at a prison rodeo.
Openminded
Not going to be shocked if this engagement gets cancelled by the real Jew in the couple.