In true Azealia Banks fashion, the famously outspoken singer is switching sides in the hours leading up to the 2024 presidential election. And dare I say she’s… kind of right, actually?
Azealia Banks having a (mostly) good take on the current state of US politics wasn’t on my 2024 bingo card, but then again, neither was Donald Trump fawning over Arnold Palmer’s genitalia, so here we are. With mere hours to go before America chooses its next commander-in-chief, the stakes are higher than ever, and even Banks seems to recognize the dangers that a second Trump presidency would entail.
Historically, Banks has been one of Trump’s most loyal celebrity followers, which isn’t surprising given she’s nearly as controversial and just as likely to pick fights with everyone and anyone for no real reason (i.e. her Twitter beef with Lil’ Kim, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Tyler the Creator, etc.). She’s a professional hater, to say the least. Banks seems to have an almost fetishistic urge to rile people up as often as humanly possible, which again, reminds me of a certain Angry Red Hat Man. But after her latest tweet, I don’t think Banks and Trump will work it out on the remix—and like many things, Elon Musk is to blame.
Azealia Banks attacks ‘dirtbag’ Elon Musk, backs Kamala Harris after longtime Trump endorsement
If you need further motivation to chuck your phone into the nearest ravine and retreat into the woods for the next 48 or so hours, here it is! Taking to X (a.k.a. Twitter) on Monday, Banks lashed out at Musk, Trump, and the GOP and endorsed Harris in one of the most unexpected political switch-ups of this election cycle. In a long-winded rant, she spoke out against Trump and Musk, writing, “For as stupid and incoherent Kamala Harris is and as trash as Walz is (…) I really think keeping Elon Musk away from any type of political power in the USA is tantamount to any issue on the table here.”
In a follow-up tweet, Banks also made some Points about Musk’s shady past, dubbing him a “treasonous weirdo” by citing the fact that he fathered a baby with his former stepdaughter, among other things. “That’s SUPER violent and fucking weird,” she added, before concluding, “Elon Musk can burn in hell.”
Suffice it to say, it appears that Banks is now (reluctantly) backing Team Harris-Walz, mostly because of Musk’s association with Trump. All this is especially interesting considering her 2017 tweet in which she slammed Rihanna for speaking out against Trump’s colloquially dubbed “Muslim ban”: “As far as Rihanna (who isn’t a citizen, and can’t vote) and all the rest of the celebrities who are using their influence to stir the public, you lot really REALLY need to shut up and sit down.” Hmmmm…
Elon Musk and Azealia Banks have a complicated history
I won’t dive too much into the lore here, but Banks and Musk go way back to before the latter was the unfortunate owner of Twitter/X. Well, back to 2018, at least, when Musk’s then-partner, musician Grimes, flew Banks out to her and Musk’s Los Angeles home to collaborate on Banks’ second album. However, when Banks arrived, Grimes was strangely absent, leaving her alone with Musk, who supposedly got high on acid while perusing Twitter for the duration of her visit.
Banks shared her detailed account of the weekend in a series of now-deleted social media posts, but it’s hard to say if this is actually what went down—after all, Banks has a track record of spreading outrageous lies and made-up stories for the sole purpose of ruffling feathers. Hilariously, Grimes and Banks were then subpoenaed in a class-action lawsuit filed against Musk by the company’s investors back in 2021, which cited Banks’ posts as evidence. Banks has since issued a public apology, but with Musk’s continued support of Trump, it seems like she’s taking it back. That’s a level of pettiness I can appreciate.
I’m not going to sugarcoat things or pretend like Banks is some sort of misunderstood pseudo-intellectual; she’s been willfully ignorant when it comes to relevant social issues, specifically the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, so I’m not trying to romanticize her sudden change of heart here. Plus, Banks would probably label herself an Independent, if anything—she’s only voting blue because, in her eyes, it’s the second-worst option. But given the stakes in this election, I think it’s okay to agree with her remarks in this case, as I wholeheartedly agree: Musk shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the White House, like, ever.
Published: Nov 5, 2024 02:40 pm