WATCH: Azealia Banks Throws Mic At Audience After Arriving Hours Late at Wynwood Pride

By Aqasha Nalani  •  14 Jun 2022 in Music

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She was in the 212 but now she’s throwing mics.

Fans’ initial responses to the news that Azealia Banks will be this year’s Wynwood Pride headliner were divided.

Banks, a rapper from Harlem, has made several contentious statements in the past, including ones that were offensive to the LGBTQ community.

However, Banks still has a sizeable following within the LGBTQ community, especially given that her “handbag house” music is often included at gay nightclubs.

At last week’s Wynwood Pride, Banks arrived on stage hours after her scheduled performance time and was visibly frustrated with the event’s organisers.

After arriving hours late to perform at Wynwood Pride, headliner Azealia Banks stops performing during her set. The crowd is upset and leaving. pic.twitter.com/CdFSDeVipx

— Lauren Costantino (@misscostantino) June 11, 2022

“I’ve been being f***ed around with, you know? Set time has been moved and like, oh, you’re headlining. No, you’re not headlining. Now you’re not this,” said Banks onstage to the crowd.

“I’m so unhappy to be here. But what did the fans ever do? What did you guys ever do, right?” she added

Eventually, Banks lost her cool in the face of the loud boos she was receiving and threw the microphone into the audience before storming off stage.

Banks then flipped-off the crowd, prompting a spectator to douse her with water.

To clarify the matter, Banks turned to Twitter.

She expressed her displeasure with the organisers for utilising dry ice, something she had previously informed them that she is very allergic to.

After tweeting the messages, Banks’ Twitter account was suspended.

Twitter users jumped in, wondering why Banks was the event’s headliner given her history of spreading hate speech to the community she was performing to.

Who tf let AZEALIA BANKS headline a PRIDE FESTIVAL and thought shit was finna go smoove? https://t.co/dPVenTYI7c

— N (@passittodmobb) June 13, 2022

Some Twitter users came to the headliners’ defence as the audience was continuously provoking her.

Non blacks throws water at a black woman and you queers screams “ yasss “ I can’t wait for shria to come to the west https://t.co/5FWogH5EUT

— J02h (@h1mcel) June 12, 2022

Many speculated that this was the desired result for Banks and questioned the true motives of the organisers.

azealia was set up by the promoters and became the scapegoat who is receiving all this abuse like this is honestly so terrifying. the promoters most definitely wanted this outcome just so they could start up azealia banks hate train again and generate buzz. blatant exploitation https://t.co/UVxNszBoMX

— julia (@jewliarr) June 12, 2022