White Female Rapper: New Wave in Hip Hop or Pure Minstrelsy?

March 14th, 2012 - By Charing Ball

Yesterday I was reading a post on Necole Bitchie about a beef between two lady rappers. No, not Nicki and Kim.  That’s tired. But Iggy Azalea and Azealia Banks.  Haven’t heard of them?

Well, honestly if not for the totally hip people in my Facebook network, I probably wouldn’t know who they were either. Certainly, this is not an indictment on their music or talent. I’m just old – just saying.

Anyway, Iggy Azalea is a platinum blonde White rapper, hailing from down under (Australia), who has taken the industry by storm with her debut underground single that is so racy that we can’t even post the title of the song in this post. Let’s just say that it is an overused euphemism for a female’s private part. Iggy, who has a deal with Interscope records, has gotten the official co-sign from T.I. and his Grand Hustle family, who will be executive producing her official debut album.

And Azealia Banks (seriously, what is up with the identical names? I’m confusing myself here) is a dark brown skinned Black female rapper, originating from Harlem, who too has an underground smash hit called 212, which too features another colorful euphemism about one’s private part in its hook. Nevertheless Banks is blowing up, despite not officially being signed to a major label (she is signed to a subsidiary of Interscope Records) and has the endorsement of Kanye West, who proclaimed her “the future of music” earlier this year.

It appears that these women both have a great musical future ahead of them so what’s the beef?  If you haven’t figured out yet, here’s a hint: it’s race-related.

You see, Azalea has recently become the world’s first female rapper to make XXL Magazine’s “Freshmen Class” list, which honors up and coming rappers to watch. Naturally this perplexed a number of folks including Banks, who expressed her outrage through a series of tweets, saying that Azalea’s placement on the XXL freshman list is all wrong.

Said Banks, “How can you endorse a white woman who called herself a ‘runaway slave master’?  Sorry guys. But I’m pro black girl. I’m not anti white girl, but I’m also not here for any1 outside of my culture trying to trivialize very serious aspects of it.” The runaway slave line, which Azealia is referencing, is a quote from Azalea’s track “D.R.U.G.S.” in which the Australian raps: “Tire marks, tire marks/Finish line with the fire marks/When the relay starts/I’m a runaway slave…master.” Yeah, I have no idea what that means either. Perhaps it is because I am old. Just saying.

When asked to respond to Bank’s remarks, Iggy said, “This is my day and it’s my achievement. You have to work to have your own achievements, with all due respect. Instead of worrying about who else is on there, you should just be happy that I’m on there as a woman for women, and if you want to have your own achievement, work and have your own achievement. “

I guess not wanting to leave his artist out there, especially before he had a chance to cash in, T.I. too had a response to Banks, saying that: “Strategically if she really cares about a freshmen cover maybe she could hope that she’ll suck enough to get shelved and then next year when the freshmen cover comes back around, maybe she’ll still be a freshman. If you spend half of your day getting money and the other half of your day counting money, you ain’t got no time in your day to worry about nobody else.”

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  • Dawn

    This article is so stupid. You don’t have to be Black to rap.

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  • Surburban Soulja

    ATTENTION BLACKS:
    “This is nothing new”. If our physical terrain, material bounty, medicinal vegetation, wombs (genetical exploitation), breastmilk (whet nurse), ethnic aesthetic features (silicone lips, etc) have been freely trifled with…why not our brand of music? If a descendant of people KNOWN for violating the Aborigines introduces herself as a “Runaway Slavemaster”—do we need a calulator? (even Eminem knows betta!) How’s bout the enabling Brothas? Oh, for the day Representation means more than paid-for litigation! #WWSTD?# (WhatWouldSojournerTruthDo?)

  • obamagal

    We can’t pretend, ignore the truth about race in this country. My thing is, if someone is talented, he/she is, it doesn’t matter what race. I can’t say Adele, Joss Stone are not talented because they are white. I just think it’s all propaganda when these white artists are PRAISED more than usual for doing what is considered a “black thing”. A white girl with curves, a non black guy who plays basketball well, and now a white girl rapping, it’s so blown out of proportion.  Yes, I will take it personal that she called herself a runaway slavemaster. Chill, it’s funny. Really? Let’s see how funny it is when people dare say certain things to Jewish people or call whites certain names. There still has to be boundaries. I think, Banks is more talented than Iggy because all she does is look cute doing a “black thing”. I want to see the society praise black people when they excel in what is considered a “white thing”. There shouldn’t be a ” Black or white thing” but that’s the society we live in.

  • 3000wattz

    I find this article to be a little disturbing but then again you did state you are old and not with the “times”. Still there is no excuse for ignorance! Hip Hop knows no color or boundaries and for anyone person of color to say we need to “Protect” what is ours should be ashamed of themselves! Music is meant to fall on the ears of everyone! I mean its like we fought so hard as hip hop artist to be relevant and excepted and now we want it back? This is a** (excuse my french) backwards! This is does not move black people of Hip Hop forward in any way shape or form. There is a time in the future where color will not matter and things that are trivial and meaningless such as who’s black or who’s white will no longer exist. It may not be soon but its coming!

    Now as far as the Runaway slave master line… I have yet to hear it but I do know that Iggy is not a racist and to take her words out of context especially as a respected blogger is disgusting. We all know how one sided the internet can be! I for one would pick Iggy Azalea over Azalea banks simply because I feel she makes a better quality of music. Iggy is trying to pave her way into an industry where Nicki Minaj is made out to be the biggest thing since toilet paper. It has nothing to do with color. I’m sorry to say but black people we need to move on and unite as one with everyone else. We know our history, we know our struggles, now lets be a positive motivating force in society and help promote unity within society!

  • 3000wattz

    I find this article to be a little disturbing but then again you did state you are old and not with the “times”. Still there is no excuse for ignorance! Hip Hop knows no color or boundaries and for anyone person of color to say we need to “Protect” what is ours should be ashamed of themselves! Music is meant to fall on the ears of everyone! I mean its like we fought so hard as hip hop artist to be relevant and excepted and now we want it back? This is a** (excuse my french) backwards! This is does not move black people of Hip Hop forward in any way shape or form. There is a time in the future where color will not matter and things that are trivial and meaningless such as who’s black or who’s white will no longer exist. It may not be soon but its coming!

    Now as far as the Runaway slave master line… I have yet to hear it but I do know that Iggy is not a racist and to take her words out of context especially as a respected blogger is disgusting. We all know how one sided the internet can be! I for one would pick Iggy Azalea over Azalea banks simply because I feel she makes a better quality of music. Iggy is trying to pave her way into an industry where Nicki Minaj is made out to be the biggest thing since toilet paper. It has nothing to do with color. I’m sorry to say but black people we need to move on and unite as one with everyone else. We know our history, we know our struggles, now lets be a positive motivating force in society and help promote unity within society!

  • Brujis

    on a side note though, why does music have to be an “ours vs theirs” thing? I remember back in the day a japanese salsa band (cant remember if it was salsa or merenge) and I never heard anyone I knew say “ah these chinos stealing our music what do they know about salsa?!” they liked salsa, they respected the genre and they became pretty well known. I get it if its someone like Krayshawn who sucks and has NO talent whatsoever ruining the genre and putting black people in their video for street cred but Eminem has skills, Beasty Boys rock who gives a crap if theyre white if they make good music?. I duno I think music should unify people not divide,  but thats my humble opinion. and if it divides make sure and put me on the side of the island where GOOD music is played and not crap to sell and sell.

    • DaTruth

      Brujis, you’re missing the point… The point of contention here is not “ours vs theirs” in music, rather, it’s the fact that the fascination with these (coincidentally) 3 rappers is likely more related to their whiteness rather than pure talent.  If this XXL nomination were all about talent, then there would have been Black female rappers nominated, too, because statistically speaking, there are a lot more Black femcees than white ones.  If it were all about talent and not the exoticism of white female rappers, then we would have seen sisters like Azaelia Banks up there.  It’s as simple as THAT.

  • Brujis

    I am not a fan of Iggys. To me she sounds fake trying to sound “hard” and lacks credibility as an artist, but in reading her lyrics to that song I didnt take it to be a racist comment, for some reason I thought it had to do with the fashion industry since I think shes an artist or something but anyhow I found this article of her explaining the lyrics:

    Dear world,I’m writing you today to address a lyric I said a few months ago in one of my songs that I feel has been used to unfairly slander my character and paint me as a racist person.Kendrick Lamar is one of my favorite artists and I loved his song ‘Look Out for Detox’ so much I decided to do my own version of it last year. The lyrics I wrote follow the original version closely; One lyric in particular has offended a lot of people and for that, I apologize.The artist’s lyric was:
    “when the relay starts I’m a runway slave”My lyric was:
    “when the relay starts I’m a runaway slave…Master, sh-tting on the past gotta sp-t it like a pastorThis is a metaphoric take on an originally literal lyric, and I was never trying to say I am a slave owner.The intent was to say was that past histories have been mastered, or overcome, and that you may feel my
    line was ‘sh-tting on the past,’ just as many feel pastors sh-t on the bible or biblical history…although they mean no ill and just have their own take, hence the lyric ‘gotta spit it like a pastor.’In all fairness, it was a tacky and careless thing to say and if you are offended, I am sorry. Sometimes we get so caught up in our art and creating or trying to push boundaries, we don’t stop to think how others may be hurt by it. In this situation, I am guilty of doing that and I regret not thinking things through more.I don’t hate any race of people, and it pains me to wake up to other young people being misled to believe I do. I am for unity and equality. People should get a fair shot at whatever they want to do no matter what color they are; rap and hip hop as a culture is not exempt from this.It is unfair to say other races who also grew up listening to rap don’t get a place too. We have a place and the Azaleans and myself are evidence of that fact. All people have a voice and equal right to use it.In your lifetime you will say a lot of things you will wish you hadn’t too. I have to have my poor choice of words live with me forever on the internet. Please know that I have grown from this and hope to have your continued support in life and my mission of bridging the gap.As one of my lovely azaleans said last week: we are the prototype and far beyond the stereotype.Love always,Iggamonster.Read more: Iggy Azalea Clears Up ‘Runaway Slavemaster’ Lyric: ‘It Was A Tacky And Careless Thing To Say’ | Necole Bitchie.com

  • jackieOsassin

    i can’t say i agree. i think iggy is wonderfully talented, and she’s paving her own way in the rap game. this isn’t some rivalry between race and capability, this is a bitter woman who’s upset her talents didn’t make the cut. i’m sorry, but i’ve heard azealia’s tracks (some of them, at least) and i can’t honestly say she would smoke iggy in a cipher. that’s just honesty.

    • MiaShine7657

      Just cause you’re “honest”, doesn’t make it true.  **hmmm… how many times can I use the word p***y in a 3 min track, and categorically undermine hundreds of years of suffering by calling myself a “slave master”?**  ….Yeah, I can see how that’s talent.  Brilliant.  But you’re entitled to your opinion, though.

  • jackieOsassin

    i can’t say i agree. i think iggy is wonderfully talented, and she’s paving her own way in the rap game. this isn’t some rivalry between race and capability, this is a bitter woman who’s upset her talents didn’t make the cut. i’m sorry, but i’ve heard azealia’s tracks (some of them, at least) and i can’t honestly say she would smoke iggy in a cipher. that’s just honesty.

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