
When I first saw Azealia Banks, I'd written her off as a copy of a copy, Dominique Young Unique by way of Amanda Blank and Kid Sister. Like Unique, Banks is under 21 and armed with a hyper-kinetic, sexualized flow, but the similarities end there and I've been eating crow for not taking notice sooner. Having attended New York's lauded LaGuardia High School (notable alums: Nicki Minaj, Kelis and Paul Stanley), Banks is more than a rapper--add "slash singer, slash actress" to her résumé--proudly displaying talent and range on "212." Accents, singing and smut come [...]