Azealia Banks: Rita Ora is a ‘Rihanna Understudy’

Up and coming rapper Azealia Banks appears to have taken a note from the Nicki Minaj school of self-promotion–by engaging in yet another Twitter war to get attention.

This time, Banks has started a Twitter war with Rita Ora, her current tourmate on Future Music Festival in Australia.

“Ever since I arrived on this tour Rita’s been going out of her way to try and intimidate me,” tweeted Banks, who also just came out with a new single “Yung Rapunxel.” The rapper continued her blast that Ora was “Taking all these candids of me when I wasn’t looking, then posting and deleting them like a weak bitch.”

Ora then fired back: “At the end of the day I don’t know who the fuk u think you are secondly u dont know me I’ve done nothin but try b nice to u 3rd ur dancers were talkn to me furthermore ill see ur ass at the motherfuckin concert,” wrote Rita, full of eloquence and clarity as usual.

Banks then fired round 2:  “She’s been TRYING IT on this tour man…..She’s mad she’s Rihanna’s understudy.” Ora has often been compared to Rihanna, given the pair’s similar looks and shared love of provocative fashion. Rihanna and Rita Ora have also both dated Rob Kardashian. So, being called a “Rihanna understudy” is a very easy diss.

Now, Ora can be added to Banks’s list of Twitter enemies, which include Iggy Azalea, Kreayshawn, Angel Haze, T.I., Lil’ Kim and Baauer. If she and Nicki Minaj ever got into it, Twitter would undoubtedly be over capacity.

Banks better ease up on the disses, though, given that she’s rumored to be featured in the leading track off of Beyonce’s new album. “Rachet” will allegedly feature both Banks and Lady Gaga in addition to Queen B. Gaga is not known for avoiding controversy herself, so it will be interesting to see how she gets along with Banks when the song is released.

In the meantime, Ora and Banks are awkwardly still touring together in Australia, in spite of the beef.

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Back to top