Azealia Banks and Rihanna (@azealiabanks/@badgalriri Instagram)
Azealia Banks is once again at the center of a celebrity feud and this time, she’s at odds with Rihanna over the immigration ban imposed by President Donald Trump.
Trump issued an executive order on Saturday, Jan. 28, to ban Muslims from seven countries — Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Iran — from entering the United States for the next 90 days and refugees for the next 120 days.
Rihanna was one of many celebrities to voice opposition to the order, calling the news “devastating” and deeming Trump “an immoral pig.”
Disgusted! The news is devastating! America is being ruined right before our eyes! What an immoral pig you have to be to implement such BS!!
— Rihanna (@rihanna) January 29, 2017
On Instagram Sunday, Jan. 29, Banks posted several messages on the matter that were later deleted. In her first post, she rationalized that the Muslim ban is a “precautionary measure” for an impending explosion of centuries-long tensions between America and the Middle East.
Banks turned her attention to Rihanna, saying the Barbados native and other celebrities who spoke out against the order, like Jesse Williams, Janelle Monáe and Jordan Peele, should keep their mouths shut.
She also implored Black people to learn about the poor treatment of their brethren in North Africa and the Middle East.
Rihanna caught wind of Banks’ retort and posted a photo from her “Anti” album shoot of her pursing her lips. Rih completed the post with several hashtags that took aim at Banks’ chicken sacrifice that made headlines in December.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP2zvwAgVlA/?taken-by=badgalriri
The controversial rapper then took aim at Rih for her island upbringing, accused her of using sex to propel her career and said the singer was a drug user.
Rihanna shot back with an image of a person with an American flag-like bag over their head, writing Banks was making a lot of unnecessary commotion.
The Harlem, New York-raised MC relished the fact that Rih was “clearly listening and responding” to her posts.
Banks blasted the “Needed Me” singer in a video verbalizing her previous post. “Ok, wait. So you say save the chickens but you love chicken nuggets so you would eat the chicken. Hmm, save the chickens. I don’t get it.”
“Come uptown,” Banks said in a second clip. “Let me make you some f—ing chicken nuggets, b—-. I got a cage full of chickens.”
The outspoken star took the chicken slaughter criticism in stride, posting a selfie captioned with a knife and chicken emoji.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP3gVODhmvR/?taken-by=azealiabanks
Rihanna also posted a selfie blowing a kiss.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP31GyuggDf/?taken-by=badgalriri
In the last of the barbs, Banks posted a phone number she alleged to belong to the “Work” singer. She captioned the image, “Bombs away!”
Rihanna fired off a tweet of what looked like an iMessage thread between Banks and the eight-time Grammy winner. Both posts have since been removed and the stars seemed to have put the online spat behind them.
Rihanna is the newest celebrity target for Banks, whose past headlines included trading insults with Disney star Skai Jackson over ex-boy bander Zayn Malik in May and a scuffle with actor Russell Crowe in October.
