Azealia Banks has taken shots at her “ATM Jam” partner Pharrell, alleging that the single’s lack of success is due to a lack of support from its primary producer and hook-singer. To a certain degree, a major label-backed song’s market penetration has a bit more to do with money invested after the fact, and audience reaction, than high-profile cosigns. But it’s true that the Daft Punk and Robin Thicke-assisting hit-maker, by contrast, didn’t appear in Banks’ video.
Perhaps there simply weren’t enough nude women or awesome robots? Nay, taking to Twitter, Banks wrote, “The reason ATM jam did poorly is because pharell changed his mind about wanting to be associated with me after he had his lite skin comeback.” Which is a helluva thing to say, and somewhat confusing without further exposition. She since removed the Tweet, but followed it up with a string of related gripes:
Lite skin niggas are funny.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) November 12, 2013
But fuck it what’s new? Azealia banks having to scrape claw and fight for what she wants. This is normal for me now.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) November 12, 2013
Giving a fuck, fucks shit up for me.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) November 12, 2013
Banks also expressed frustration with her label. Universal subsidiaries Interscope and Polydor are set to release the former SPIN cover star’s official debut album, Broke With Expensive Taste, early next year. Her frustration with her bosses could shine some light on the situation — on November 8, she tweeted that “ATM Jam” will not be included in the final track list, without any explanation — though not the racial aspect.
Once I’m done w my contract with universal somebody better give me an office. I have so many big ideas about music industry infrastructure
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) November 12, 2013
I just want to fix it all and smile smugly at my superiors from behind my glasses and coffee mug.
— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) November 12, 2013
Pharrell has yet to respond to any of this, which we guess is sort of her point.