Azealia Banks apologises for using anti-gay language

Azealia Banks has apologised for using the word “faggot” as a put-down on several occasions.

The rapper was widely criticised early last year (2013) when she used “fag” or “faggot” as an insult in a series of Twitter arguments with gossip blogger Perez Hilton and Harlem Shake producer Bauuer.

She later defended her use of the word in a Twitter rant, claiming that “society is just bored”, and “needs to hold on to these outdated rules of what you can say and cannot say”.

However, Banks performed at L.A Pride yesterday (June 7), and took to Twitter shortly after her set to apologise for her previous behaviour – and ask for forgiveness from her gay fans.

Mouthy rapper Banks rose to fame in 2011, when her track 212 created a huge buzz online and later became a top 20 hit in the UK. Later singles ATM JAM and Yung Rapunxel failed to make a similar impact, and her debut album has been subject to numerous delays – and still has no release date.

However, 23-year-old Banks, who hails from Harlem in New York, recently revealed she is recording a music video for a new track called Wallace, suggesting her career could be on the up again.

Meanwhile, earlier this month actor Jonah Hill apologised publicly after calling a member of the paparazzi a “faggot” in a moment of impatience.