HIP-HOP Azealia Banks Defends Skin Bleaching, Says It Doesn't Negate Her Past Comments About 'Blackness in America'

Rapper Azealia Banks admitted to lightening her skin and defended the process of skin-bleaching. The "212" MC, who was suspended from Twitter following her controversial remarks on race in May, took to a 21-minute Facebook livestream while riding her bike on Friday (July 1).

"I don't really think it's important to discuss the cultural significance of skin bleaching anymore because I think that, just as African-American people, just as black people in this world, you assimilate, and there are things you accept, not just out of necessity but things become norm because they just happen all the time," she began. "I guess people see the skin-bleaching thing as something different but I see it as another ... assimilation thing. It's a continuation of the falsification of self that comes with being a black person in America."

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Banks continued, "My personal opinion about skin lightening. I consider anything that has to do with removing layers of skin or pigment, I consider it all bleaching ... I say lightening." She explained how a bad diet and hormones could contribute to clogged pores and that getting a chemical peel to remove the dirt could make a person's skin appear lighter.

The rapper also called the world of skin-bleaching a "dark world," describing the different "corrosive" ingredients that may be sold to average women to "sell a dream" versus wealthy ladies who can afford certain products. She noted, "It's a deeper conversation into a woman's right to choose."

Banks then asked her supporters. "To say that [skin bleaching] negates what I've been saying about blackness in America is ignorant and just stupid," she said. She added. "Nobody was upset when I was [wearing] 30-inch weaves, tearing out my edges, and doing all types of shit like that," she said. "You guys loved it, but what is the difference?"

Watch the full video below.

Two weeks ago, Banks shared on Instagram that she was working on an article that would detail the difference between skin bleaching, skin lightening, skin brightening and skin whitening.