Azealia Banks Takes Us Back to 1991

So, if you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed my undying affection for Azealia Banks. Yesterday, she came out with her first EP, 1991, under Interscope – and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Her sound is precise and infectious. And for the first time in a long while, it makes me wanna get up, dance the night away and shake out all the problems of the day. As much as I’ve had respect for other female MCs, I’ve never been able to connect with them. Azealia is that breath of fresh air whose music connects people from all walks of life: the London club kids, the indie obsessed, the gays, the hip hop heads, the fashion kids. And she’s taken us all along with her on her journey to stardom – live tweeting studio sessions, photo shoots, her performances commissioned by Karl Lagerfeld and the Met Ball where Alex Wang was her date.

Azealia understands the power of tribes and fostering a community around her music and her rise to the top. She has a knack for creating a language that only her fans could understand, she includes them in the decision making process for new weaves, songs and outfits. She calls on her tribe for opinions and isn’t afraid to be herself and stir things up from time to time. She isn’t for the faint of heart but I will tell you one thing: Azealia Banks is quickly becoming the artist of our generation. Generation Y, the generation of kids who grew up online and appreciate the power of choice.

As for 1991, well, that’s exactly what it sounds like – the year of 1991 when up-beat dance tunes ruled dance floors, radios and club kids alike. It’s fun and carefree. Raw and gritty, much like Azealia. And most of all, it’s liberating. To hear a 21-year girl from Harlem making her dreams come true on her own terms and making people happy while doing it, now that’s what Gen-Y is all about.