Azealia Banks storms off stage at Wynwood Pride after arriving late. What set her off?
Rapper Azealia Banks was supposed to take the main stage at Wynwood Pride at 1 a.m. Saturday. But when she arrived hours later, her set didn’t last long.
Banks, who was billed as a headliner for the first day of the LGBTQ music festival, stormed off the stage in the middle of her performance.
Video captured by Miami Herald reporters show what led to the rapper’s early exit after her late arrival.
Hours before Banks was scheduled to perform, the first day of the three-day festival at the RC Cola Plant in Wynwood went relatively smoothly. The crowd grew larger as the night went on, and fans enjoyed the DJ sets and drag artists. By 1 a.m., hundreds of fans were at the stage, dancing to a DJ’s music and waiting.
Finally, around 3 a.m., Banks walked on stage.
She wore a bodysuit that exposed her breasts. The crowd loved it. But things took a turn a couple songs into the performance.
Banks took a break from rapping to speak about her frustrations with the event organizers. “I was being f---ed with,” she said. According to Banks, the event had gone back and forth about whether or not she would be a headliner and changed her set times.
Banks continued to perform a couple of more songs, but stopped again. This time, she told the audience she didn’t want to be there.
Then came the boos. Banks threw her microphone when it was turned off. As she walked away, someone threw water from a bottle on her. She was escorted off stage. The lights were turned on. Security began to usher out the fans.
Banks is notorious for controversy and Twitter beef. The rapper, who is bisexual, has gone on homophobic and transphobic rants in the past. Despite her behavior, Banks has retained an LGBTQ fanbase for years.
But the chaotic performance at Wynwood Pride doesn’t bode well for the rapper’s reputation in her new home city. Banks moved to Miami last year.
Later Saturday morning, Banks took to Twitter to give her side of the story. She said that she was originally booked for 10 p.m. and that the promoter moved her set to 1 a.m. (The schedule posted on Wynwood Pride’s website listed Banks performing at midnight. The festival was to end at 3 a.m.)
Wynwood Pride declined to comment.