This week’s #wcw is Azealia Banks a young rapper from Harlem in New York City. Azealiza Banks had a rough life struggling with abuse both physical and verbal from her mother after the death of her father when she was two years old. He passed due to pancreatic cancer.
She originally wanted to pursue musical theatre attending the renowned LaGuardia High school of Performing Arts in New York City but dropped out to focus on her career as a musician. She started by posting songs on her Myspace page and because of this was able to sign a development contract with XL Recordings that however only lasted until the end of that year when she pulled out of it. This was all done under her stage name “Miss Bank$” which was after switched to the name we are most familiar with Azealia Banks. 

In 2011 she moved to Montreal, Canada to try and further her career but it wasn’t working out and she ended up having to move back to New York City and becoming a stripper. Which wasn’t an easy life, she spiraled into depression but as most know depression makes for some great art and she wasn’t ready to give it all up just yet.

She began posting her music on YouTube and she made a website with a free digital download of her song “212” that on track went viral in Europe becoming number seven song in Ireland. She began working loosely with other people in the music industry until she was finally ready to make her debut album which was entitled “Broke with Expensive Taste.”

Her popularity grew and she collaborated with tons of rappers and musicians. Prior to releasing her debut album she took some time in between that only boosted her to release a mix tape that she called Fantastic but was later on renamed “Fantasea.”

She is a bisexual who believes in breaking down barriers between skin color and sexual orientation- although she has gotten in trouble on a few occasions because her methods are drastic. She has a fiery, hot temper and is somebody that would never let anybody cross her or get in her way. It shows in her music she is not one to let the world walk all over her. She has been through pain and back and we celebrate her for being a role model in Black History Month for girls that grew up in situations that they couldn’t control and had no choice but to take what was offered to them.

She fought through and that’s why Azealia Banks is our women crush this Wednesday.