American rapper Azealia Banks has been dropped from her headlining slot at British Born & Bred musical festival after posting racist and homophobic tweets towards Zayn Malik.
Banks began trending worldwide on Twitter after she posted the string of comments which referred to the former One Direction star in highly derogatory terms.
Rinse FM, which had recently booked Banks to headline their festival in July, said: “We have decided to cancel Azealia Banks’ headline appearance at Rinse Born & Bred.
“Rinse Born & Bred is a celebration of rave culture and has been created for everyone. We celebrate inclusivity and equality.”
Banks, 24, has claimed that Malik copied her work for his new video, Like I Would, though she added that she liked the singer and thought he was a “cutie pie”.
But when the Yorkshire-born singer who is half Pakistani, tweeted: “I see you reaching but I don’t care … My @’s too good for you,”
Banks assumed it was about her and began sending abuse his way, including saying he was a member of One Direction only “to draw brown attention”.
Banks also posted a string of derogatory comments about the UK rap scene, saying that British rappers “never have swag” and British rap music was a “disgrace” to the genre.
The singer has been the centre of controversy in the past, having aimed tirades at a range of artists including Iggy Azalea, Rita Ora and Lily Allen.
In March she was forced to apologise after former US politician Sarah Palin threatened to sue the rapper for a series of derogatory tweets.
On Wednesday social media users, including Lily Allen, called on Twitter to suspend Banks. “Why do the Police shut down @Giggs or@nines1ace raves but @AZEALIABANKS is cool to just come here threatening to bring arms?” Allen wrote. “Don’t get it.”
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