Tonight, New York rapper Azealia Banks makes her Irish debut in front of a very enthusiastic Dublin crowd. She was featured way back in November in Hot Press, before this show was announced, and tickets were snapped up like hot cakes last month, despite the fact that the potty-mouthed 21 year-old has yet to release her debut album. Instead, fans have been listening (and as tonight proves, learning all the lyrics) to tracks uploaded online by Banks, a Harlemite who made it onto just about every hotlist going at the start of the year and featured on the cover of our own Hot for 2012 special issue in January.
Clearly in awe of the screaming fans awaiting her as she comes on stage, Banks takes a picture of the crowd on her phone before launching into a concise and impressive set. The diminutive star proves the hype is more than justified, as she word-perfectly speed-raps her way through ‘Grand Scam’, ‘Chill$’ and ‘Barbie Shit’. She breaks up the set with a soulful acapella take on Groove Theory’s ‘Tell Me’, which is pleasant enough, if a little hammy. This crowd is here for one thing, and one thing only – angry, profanity-filled rap!
Banks knows this, though, and saves the best for last: the excellent ‘212’. As soon as they hear its blippy opening bars, the room goes absolutely apeshit. Banks is clearly touched as the crowd scream along with the track’s refrain of, “I’mma ruin you cunt!” It’s probably the first time the use of the ‘C’ word has made a lady feel all warm inside.
Finishing her set by mashing the track up with The Prodigy’s ‘Firestarter’, she’s done, having clocked up less than half an hour on stage. Fans loiter hopefully, but alas, tonight remains encore-less. Nonetheless, this was an impressive set from an extremely talented performer. It’s a pity she couldn’t have stayed longer – though perhaps it’s better to leave us wanting more than overstaying her welcome.