Azealia Banks vs XL Recordings

“So I just said, ‘Screw you!’”

Fast rising American singer Azealia Banks has lashed out at former label XL Recordings.

Attracting a flurry of media attention as 2011 drew its last breath, Azealia Banks has opened the New Year in style. Gaining a high placing on the BBC Sound of 2012 poll, it’s clear that the American artist’s star is rising.

However it seems that this is far from Azealia Banks first stab at making it. Speaking to Self-Titled Mag recently, the singer revealed that she was previously signed to British label XL – home to Radiohead and Adele.

The relationship was not a happy one, with the artist apparently rejecting material from XL founder Richard Russell. Apparently labelled an “amateur” by Russell, Azealia Banks then “went into a bit of a depression”.

Named in the BBC Sound of 2012 poll, Azealia Banks expanded on her failed flirtation with XL. “It was almost the day I signed to XL that they started checking out,” she said. “There were a good seven to eight months where I was just sending them texts and no-one would say anything or pick up the phone or respond to my emails. Nothing. And it started to ruin me.”

“So I started harassing Richard. Like, ‘Dude, I’m going to chop your neck off. Answer my emails!'”

Azealia Banks and XL ultimately parted company, a decision which allowed the artist to reinvigorate her career. Looking back, the artist seems to have lost none of the frustration caused by the period.

“I was like, this is not what I worked so hard my entire life to do – to be rejected by some English guy in West Bumblefrickin’ nowhere London, telling me I’m amateur or something like that.”

“So I just said, ‘Screw you!'”

Azealia Banks is working on her debut album.

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