Azealia Banks tells Instagram users who slam her religious practices to 'kiss her sea brined a**'
Azealia Banks has a few words for those who are criticizing her religious practices. The 29-year-old rapper took to her social media today (December 6), dropping a series of comments to slam fans who want to put her on the wrong kind of pedestal.
The criticism seemingly stemmed from a photo the rapper posted yesterday where she is seen covered in blood. After the photo, Banks shared a screenshot of a string of messages on the subject of performative wokeness, which included her saying, "Worried about my spirituality and how I choose to elevate and heal but cannot be real with themselves about their own unhealthy cultural flaws they viciously force other people to accept as normal. No one chastised poppy for being covered in fake blood but jump to vilify me for African traditional religion and animal sacrifice while they consume carcasses they don't have the courage to kill and consume on their own."
In her caption for the screenshot. she wrote, "And you do it all while screaming 'Black Lives Matter.' Clearly my Black life is exempt from that protection. I am not mentally ill. I am highly spiritual and devoted to Yemaya. That same Mermaid you beg to bring forth music and enjoyment for you, you denigrate and vilify. Why do I have to hide who I am? Why am I not allowed to be free? Why not simply ask questions and learn? Why insinuate that I need to be medicated for something you simply do not understand? Just ask. I’ve been very open about this for years. Just ask."
Banks then added in the comments of her post, "THE FACT THAT YOU ALL WANT ME TO TWERK, BE AN ALCOHOLIC AND A DRUG ADDICT AS A MEANS OF BEING A PROPER ARTIST INSTEAD OF GIVE PRAISE TO A GODDESS IS COMPLETELY FUCKING LAUGHABLE. KEEP SUPPORTING RAPISTS, MURDERERS AND ABUSERS. It’s MERMAID SEASON YOU FUCKING HEATHENS!!!!" Check out her post here.
Then, Banks added in a separate post, "Now, enough is enough bitches. If mainstream success means I need to inject cement into my ass, promote alcoholism and reckless sex then you can go elsewhere and find it. No more Mrs. Nice Guy. Kiss my sea brined a** and choke on kelp! We in this bitch!!!!! MAFEREFUN YEMAYA."
As stated in her comments, Banks worships the goddess Yemaya who is often depicted as a queenly mermaid. Yemaya is considered the Ocean Mother Goddess in Santería, an Afro-Caribbean religion.
Not all fans are in agreement with how Banks is responding to criticism. One fan says, "worry about them charts instead of who people choose to love." One fan wrote, "*when people use spirituality as a tool of intimidation, what's that called? Sis our ancestors are tired of you calling on them. Give them a friggin break. They had enough trauma in they own life to deal with your mediocre spiritual baggage."
"When have you ever been Mrs. Nice Guy lol," added another fan.