Outspoken rapper Azealia Banks, who made headlines earlier this year after lashing out at Australian audiences and the organisers of Splendour In The Grass, has drawn ire once again after footage surfaced of the musician shouting a homophobic slur at a flight attendant.
As Nine News reports, Banks as filmed calling an airline employee a “fucking faggot” during a flight from New York to Los Angeles as he tried to calm her down following an altercation with a fellow passenger. The footage was eventually picked up by tabloid outlet TMZ.
According to a passenger from the flight who claims to have been sitting next to Banks in first class, the confrontation began shortly after the Delta Airlines flight landed when Banks attempted to exit the plane but was stopped by another passenger.
As soon as the flight landed, the rapper reportedly attempted to make her egress, attempting to squeeze past a French couple who were collecting their luggage from the overhead, before the French man put out his hand, motioning for Banks to wait.
According to the passenger, Banks then lashed out at the man, spitting on him, punching him in the face, and clawing at his shirt. A Delta flight attendant then stepped in to attempt to calm the musician down, taking her luggage.
The footage obtained by TMZ then shows Banks repeatedly demanding the airline worker return her luggage back before a pilot comes out to speak with her. Banks is then seen turning around and yelling the homophobic slur at the attendant.
Banks has since taken to social media to defend herself from an onslaught of criticism, writing, “Ok so I get hit in the face by a man and no one cares. The (sic) only hear what I called the man who was blocking my exit.”
“I don’t care. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” Banks said about her use of the slur. “I don’t tolerate bitch assface and I don’t tolerate men putting their hands on me… I am bisexual. My brother is trans. My employees are all gay men. Nothing else to say.”
According to Nine News, police caught up with Banks at the baggage claim area of the airport, but the French couple chose not to press charges against the controversial rapper, not wanting the process to interrupt their holiday.
