Whatever hope Azealia Banks may have had that the narrative surrounding her ejection from a recent party at the Beverly Hills Hotel would turn in her favor — you know, the one where Russell Crowe allegedly “grabbed her in a bear hug” in order to forcibly remove her from the room — just got wrapped up in a body bag by RZA. The hip-hop legend took to Facebook Thursday afternoon and posted a long note explaining how he remembers the events leading up to the altercation at the hotel and how the incident really unfolded, even providing context for his burgeoning professional relationship with Banks in order to clear up any rumors about alleged record deals. RZA says he was cautioned by friends against associating with Banks, but he decided to take a chance on her anyway. “I heard the rumors of her problems in the industry but disregarded them with the rationality everyone is innocent until proven guilty,” RZA wrote. “So my producer and I fought for her to be in [the upcoming RZA film Coco] and we succeeded. During the filming process things ran smooth and she delivered. Thus my only experience with her had been professional.”
But then the now-infamous Beverly Hills Hotel party happened. RZA says that despite Banks’s claims, Crowe never used any racial slurs against her and confirmed that her behavior was indeed belligerent and erratic.
Before the night is over Azealia is insulting half the room she becomes loud and obnoxious.
There was nothing funny about her behavior. I felt a little embarrassed because she was my guest.
Still verbal abuse can be tolerated but when it goes physical…
Azealia threaten to cut a girl in the face with a glass, then actually grabs a glass and physically attacks for no logical reason.
Russell blocked the attack and expelled her from the suite.
Seeing is believing and I saw her behave as an obnoxious erratic individual and in the circles I frequent this was unprecedented. I was totally puzzles by her and thought maybe meds or booze or something had her zoned out.
Nevertheless I made sure she got home safe.
As if hurling slurs at Zayn Malik and Iggy Azalea on Twitter weren’t enough, running afoul of a hip-hop icon such as RZA feels like a fast track to early retirement. You can read his full Facebook post here.
Update: Well, she wouldn’t be the Azealia Banks we know and feel … ways about if her counterattack wasn’t swift. Hours after RZA’s account, Banks followed up with a Facebook post of her own, accusing RZA of trying to “gaslight” her.
RZA has clearly been given no legal advice and went to straight to TMz out of his feelings to try and gaslight me. Whatever pieces are left of his brain after years and years of smoking dust stupidly allowed him to ramble himself into incriminating his friend, and completely debunking their entire made up theory.
You mean to tell me, that a 300lb man needed to use ALL OF THAT FORCE, to remove an “erratic” guest from a party ?
My uber records/hotel surveillance shows me arriving to the party at 9:45pm, the incident occurred around 2:45am, i were supposedly erratic, how did I possibly end up spending THAT MUCH time at your party.
If I were this supposed party monster, how the FUCK did ruselll find time to tweet a link to my song?
See the full post here. Okay, Russell, your turn!