Billboard
Azealia Banks has changed her mind about Beyoncé’s latest visual album, “Lemonade.” The singer debuted her short film on HBO April 23. Banks initially thought the material was “amazing.” But a few days later she changed her mind. Banks has now decided the music catered to a “heartbroken black female narrative.”
The rapper, who released a video for her song “The Big Big Beat” today, took to her usual social media website – Twitter – to state her praise for the highly anticipated album.
Lemonade is amAZING . I need to repent. This is sooooo good omg. EXACTLY WHAT pop culture needed
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 24, 2016
She followed it by saying that she felt “powerful and Black and evil.” The statement references Chola Wengue and Oshun.
The website Readers and Rootworkers reports Chola is the ruler of rivers, beauty, money and love in the Palo religion.
Oshun is the African goddess of love in Yoruba culture, according to Ancient Origins.
Ugh looking at this just makes me feel so powerful and BLACK AND evil CHOLA WENGUE AND OSHUN NEEDS TO BE FED RIGHT NOW
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 24, 2016
Two days later, the rapper apparently had some time to sleep on the impact of Bey’s critically acclaimed visual album and had a change of heart.
Just six months ago you told every black girl in the industry to "bow down" now you want to stick up for black folk lol
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 25, 2016
The oshun tribute was cute, very cute. But you were just trying to be Americas most convincing white woman, what happened ?
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 25, 2016
Later that same day, Banks completely lets the “Formation” singer have it.
This heartbroken black female narrative you keep trying to push is the Antithesis of what feminism is
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
And it's not what the national black women's conversation needs right now. More pain more suffering in the face of a man
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
You keep crying over a man and perpetuating that sad black female sufferance and it's Not good for what we're trying to accomplish here
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
A fan confronted Banks about her sudden change of heart. User @papiomo sent the star screenshots of her older praises of “Lemonade.” It led the rapper to explain the switch was caused by the “glitz and glam” wearing off.
@papiomo the 24hrs of glitz and glam wore off and I had time to think about it.
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
Another user tells Banks she is “bringing another sister down.” In response, the rapper goes back to her rant and accuses Beyoncé of being “a poacher.”
Because she's not a "sister" she's a poacher. She's a thief. Sisters don't steal, sisters share. https://t.co/2SkMnUygpz
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
Banks then had this response after someone asked her what did the “Sorry” singer steal.
I've been pumping African traditional religions/witchcraft for a LONG time. She was just singing "Jesus say yes" … https://t.co/zg8m7nKyua
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
Then, she accused Beyoncé of using the Yoruba goddess for personal gain.
You trying to embody oshun as a prop for ur personal gain. Let us see you. Show us ur tools and ur soperas ur prendas whatever. I need to c
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
On April 25th, Banks capped the rant with this final tweet, alluding to Beyoncé stealing her ideas.
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
But today, Twitter user @AquafarE criticized the outspoken star for her lightening her skin. The user suggests Beyoncé faces the same insecurities that led Banks to bleach her skin. It’s something Banks has tweeted about in the past. She said she does it to get rid of acne scars – yet the rapper remains unbothered. Again, Banks mentions Beyoncé ripping off the work of other Black women.
What does any of this have to do with the fact that she poaches art from other black women and pretends it's hers? https://t.co/EkiMWS3Jw8
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
@AquafarE she's a thief with no ideas of her own. Wanting to speak with absolutely nothing to say.
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 26, 2016
She went on to tweet about how she gets no respect for honesty and voiced her support for Piers Morgan’s new column.
Piers Morgan is Right: https://t.co/7xoQaLhS9k
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) April 25, 2016
The piece claims that Beyoncé’s political stance is new and exploitative towards mothers of police brutality victims.
