Azealia Banks pulls out of Boomtown festival after 'being told to support Palestine'

American rapper and songwriter Azealia Banks was due to appear at Boomtown near Winchester in August as well as at the Maiden Voyage Festival in London. But overnight she posted on X that she would not be appearing alleging that she was being pressurised into supporting Palestine - something Boomtown organisers have denied.

She wrote: “So guys I am cancelling Boomtown and Maiden Voyage, the promoters have been stressing me out for weeks trying to force me to say free Palestine and threatening to cut me from the bill because I won’t say free Palestine and I’m not dealing with the threats and I’m not putting on a f****** hijab.

“They’re both basically trying to extort me - by insinuating that I need to say I support Palestine or they will drop me from the gig BUT I would much rather drop them and not associate with anything that has cheap group think bull**** attached to it. If they want to allow some no-name dj’s to bully them into desecrating the nature of this music ecosystem and make ME the issue - whilst there being absolutely no ethical consumption under capitalism. Then that’s fine. More thinly veiled racism And overt antisemitism from the f****** g*ys for Hamas. #F***PALESTINE.

“And no, I’m not saying f*** actual Palestine. But f*** your dumb ass slogans and performative bull****. Yall wanna make a stance so bad but stand for absolutely nothing. As soon as the media says pedophilia is “natural and normal,” You b****** will be right there talking about #PEDOPHILERIGHTS

“That war has been going on in the background for f****** decades . Way before anyone alive today was born

“And all of a sudden yall are throwing around words like genocide and Zionist not even knowing the meaning of those words While you drive around in ur teslas and leave comments from your iPhones all built off the backs and the blood of children working in mines from dusk til dawn. There is zero ethical consumption under capitalism.

“EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING. I’m going to enjoy the rest of my summer and make music. It’s time for a new ab record.

“I don’t need to be on stage stressing out to appease some dumb ass protesters who literally rely on those people in Palestine being crushed so they can solicit donations they DO NOT give to the cause. Kiss my ass.”

Banks has previously said she has been diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and in the past has been accused of homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia.

A spokesman for the Boomtown festival, which is from August 6 to August 10, said: “Following her post on X in the early hours of this morning, we can confirm that Azealia Banks has withdrawn from the lineup and will no longer be performing at Boomtown Festival.

“For clarity, Boomtown does not and will never dictate the personal views and beliefs of performers.”