Azealia Banks Calls Australia One Of Most “Culturally White, Stale” Nations On Earth
She also declared that she preferred Wolfmother to Tame Impala.
US rapper Azealia Banks has opined about Australia in a new Instagram post, condemning the historical “barbaric, oppressive, and violent” treatment of First Nations peoples while favouring Wolfmother over Tame Impala.
Banks’ recent tour of Australia made headlines after the singer got into a protracted argument with her domestic touring company Point Productions, resulting in the cancellation of planned shows in Brisbane and Melbourne. Since then, Banks has claimed that Point Productions has withheld her payment from the tour and has publicly stated that she’s planning on taking legal action. (Point Productions say these claims are “untrue“.)
In the meantime, Banks’ feelings about Australia have crystallised. Sharing her criticism on Instagram, Banks described Australia as one the most “culturally stale white nations on the planet”, taking aim at Australia’s colonial past.
“Australia doesn’t really have many music acts that anyone truly cares about on a global scale because they’re in a vacuum of off-brand British culture,” she wrote.
“Could be do to [sic] with it being geographically so out of the way and how aggressive, barbaric, oppressive and violent they have been in regards to the very existence of native Black peoples …”
azealia banks just called australia “one of the most culturally white stale nations on the planet” i love her omg pic.twitter.com/ASsiJE3dFf
— alison (@tramsphobic) May 7, 2023
Banks’ later describes Australian culture being heavily inspired by “England and the USA”, due to the “historical post-colonial obsession” with fitting into other white societies internationally, which is probably true. Sadly, Banks comments diminish the continuing efforts of the pioneering artists in Australia’s music scene that struggle within an industry that rarely recognises their talent, let alone reward it.
But while Banks wasn’t completely negative about Australia’s musical output — briefly praising legacy acts Kylie Minogue, AC/DC, and INXS — her post helped clarify a question that Australians have had for decades: what does Azealia Banks think about Sydney rock band Wolfmother?
“Tame Impala is just too cheesy for me, and Wolfmother is excellent — but clearly an American rock tribute band,” Banks added. Swings and roundabouts!