It seems Azealia Banks was in a particularly generous holiday mood—or perhaps indulged in a bit too much festive cheer. The rapper, notorious for picking unnecessary fights with celebrities who often have no idea who she is, has now extended an apology to none other than Beyoncé.
Earlier this week, Banks took to Instagram to express regret for her past criticisms of Beyoncé’s visual album 'Lemonade' and her general artistic abilities. She confessed that her negative remarks were rooted in a sense of being excluded.
Whether this apology was genuine or simply another of Banks’ typical antics is debatable—the post disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. She removed it from her Instagram and has made no further mention of Beyoncé.
Banks originally targeted Beyoncé in 2016 after 'Lemonade' dropped. Through a series of tweets, she accused the singer of promoting a 'heartbroken black female narrative' and claimed Beyoncé represented the opposite of black feminism.
Banks asserted that Beyoncé had not demonstrated the social justice activism she promoted in 'Formation,' and further alleged that the singer had appropriated artistic concepts and compromised her integrity for commercial success.
“She’s not a ‘sister,’ she’s a poacher. She’s a thief,” Banks wrote on Twitter. “Sisters don’t steal, sisters share.”
This one-sided feud traces back to 2013, when Banks was asked to contribute a verse to Beyoncé’s then-untitled fifth album, eventually called 'Beyoncé.' Banks didn’t make the final tracklist, and Beyoncé joined the rapper’s expanding roster of adversaries.
Only time will tell whether Azealia Banks’ sudden admiration for Beyoncé lasts beyond 2017 and into the new year.
