Azealia Banks
A rapper whose blistering 2011 debut single '212' became an instant club anthem, cementing her as a fierce and unpredictable musical force.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American rapper·Birthday: May 31·Millennials
Biography
Azealia Banks emerged from Harlem with a torrent of raw talent and an even more potent persona. Her 2011 single '212,' a self-released track featuring a now-iconic verse from Lazy Jay's 'Float My Boat,' was a lightning strike. Its rapid-fire, explicit bars over a pulsing house beat announced a new kind of hip-hop artist, one steeped in dance music history and downtown club culture. The song's viral success promised major stardom, but Banks's career has been defined by its fits and starts, marked by high-profile feuds, delayed album releases, and a famously combative relationship with social media. Despite the turbulence, her musical output—from the '1991' EP to the 'Broke with Expensive Taste' album—reveals a sharp, genre-blending artist with a formidable command of flow and production. Her influence is heard in the cadences of later rappers, even as her own path remains uniquely, defiantly her own.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Azealia was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Azealia Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Azealia's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her debut single '212' was ranked on Rolling Stone's 2021 list of the '500 Greatest Songs of All Time.'
- Released her debut studio album 'Broke with Expensive Taste' in 2014 after several delays, to critical acclaim.
- Gained early recognition from the music industry after being named to the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll longlist.
Did You Know?
She attended LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts (the 'Fame' school) for drama.
Banks is a trained vocalist and has cited Broadway musicals as an early influence on her singing style.
She has worked as a vegan chef and has expressed interest in opening a restaurant.
She publicly identified as a witch and has spoken about her practice of brujería.
“'I'm not a businesswoman, I'm a business, man.'”
