Hip Hop Personality Charlamagne Defends Iggy Azalea
Iggy Azalea has faced a hailstorm of criticism since stepping on the scene. Fellow rapper Azealia Banks has continuously slammed Iggy, saying things like Iggy “ripped off Nicki Minaj’s Reloaded by titling her own album re-release Reclassified” and called it “cultural smudging,” according to the Guardian. Banks has said much worse, and not just on radio shows, but all over Twitter.
And now someone is stepping up, well at least a little, to defend the Australian rapper.
Hip hop personality and radio host, Charlamagne Tha God, has spoken up about Iggy being a “punching bag,” according to the Daily Mail. While not all of his words were nice, Charlemagne, whose real name is Lenard McKelvey, discussed allegations of Iggy being “fake.”
The topic came up in an interview with Charlemagne when they were discussing J. Cole’s latest album and his song “Firing Squad.”
Within the song is a lyric that says, “white people have snatched the sound’ and ‘watch Iggy win a Grammy as I try to crack a smile.”
Azealia Banks would agree after angry comments she made when both Macklemore and Iggy won Grammys for rap albums. Banks said it gave the wrong message to the hip hop community.
One person who wouldn’t agree, though, is Charlemagne. In his interview he scoffed at the idea that white rappers like Iggy could change hip hop culture.
RT @YesItsOscar: Hey London, check out @cthagod telling the whole truth as usual. Best thing in U.S. Media today. http://t.co/yJP3wnLk0R
— Charlamagne Tha God (@cthagod) January 19, 2015
Charlemagne added, “It’s not about black or white, hip hop isn’t that type of culture anymore.”
He then asked why so many people are using Iggy as a “punching bag” and constantly questioning if the “Fancy” star is real or not.
Charlemagne added, “Ninety per-cent of hip hop is fabrication and illusion… why is Iggy the poster child?”
And that’s where the kind words stopped. While Charlemagne wasn’t as critical of Iggy as Banks or J. Cole, he did comment on the quality of Iggy’s lyrics.
Charlemagne was quoted as saying, “Is she a dope emcee? No! She’s just a pretty girl who has some good records.”
Besides Banks, Iggy has feuded with Snoop Dogg and even legendary artist Q-Tip. At least Iggy Azalea can count on having her mentor, T.I., in her corner to defend her when she becomes hip hop’s “punching bag.”
[Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia]
