Azealia Banks’ New Album Is Coming Out Next Year

Last year was an odyssey for Azealia Banks. After finally liberating her long-awaited debut album, Broke With Expensive Taste, from Interscope purgatory, the New York rapper enjoyed a slew of rave reviews from critics and fans, many of whom pointed out the rapper's puzzling dexterity in crafting songs like "Chasing Time" (and the seemingly immortal "212"). However, she struggled to earn deserved headlines for her music, instead being the focus of gossip column fodder for her spats with rappers like Action Bronson, Lupe Fiasco, Kendrick Lamar and, most notably and most frequently, Iggy Azalea. But in an interview with NME, Banks lays out her plan to reclaim her Google results under her own terms: namely, a confirmation that her next LP, Business & Pleasure, will see release in 2016.

Elsewhere in the piece, Banks opens up about her drug use following a bad breakup and talks about her newly forged friendship with Lana Del Rey. She also talks about her affinity for 1960's drug culture, her new manager and Ariel Pink. Noticeably absent is the topic of racial appropriation by white men and women in hip-hop, something that Banks has spoken on candidly in the past. She reserves some harsh words, however, for Baauer, who refused to let Banks release her version of "Harlem Shake": “Who gives a fuck about fucking Baauer? Seriously. Diplo had you, bro. That nigga gassed you up. He had you at the club, then he dropped you and it’s like woop, nobody wants to fuck Baauer now. You know what I mean?

Related: Listen to Fetty Wap Feat. Gucci Mane, Azealia Banks and Quavo, “Trap Queen (Remix)”
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