Rapper Azealia Banks has been dropped from a UK music festival after a racially abusive, homophobic Twitter tirade aimed at One Direction singer Zayn Malik.

The singer is known for her high-profile anti-gay Twitter tirades – though she claims she cannot be homophobic because she identifies as bisexual.

Banks, who has not released a successful single in four years, previously defended using the word ‘faggot’ by claiming it is not a gay slur.

Writing about former One Direction singer Zayn Malik last night, she referred to him as a “faggot”, a “sand nigga”, a “dick rider”, a “punjab” and a “paki”

Claiming Malik had leaked her phone number, she added: “u were the only paki in the group and you knew you were there for a reason.”

“your mother is a dirty refugee who won’t be granted asylum.”

Following the incident, Banks has today been dropped by a UK music festival she was set to headline.

The rapper was set to appear at the Rinse I Born & Bred festival in Hackney in June, but organisers moved to axe her headline slot today.

A statement said: “We have decided to cancel Azealia Banks’ headline appearance at Rinse I Born & Bred Festival.

“Rinse I Born & Bred is a celebration of rave culture and has been created for EVERYONE. We celebrate inclusivity and equality.”

The rapper had threatened to bring armed security to her gigs to attack people who tried to throw urine – a time-honoured tradition at British music festivals.

She said: “To all of my Darling UK fans who bought tickets to see me at the Rinse FM show. My sincerest apologies!!!!!

“But you know Mama Puma always goes in for the Kill. And NEVER backs down.”

She added: “Everyone loves to gang up on Azealia and be funny and shady and get mad when I say something truly fucked up.

“Everyone wants to add their “shade” and their two cents and get mad when I give them 99¢.

“You should have kept your coins in your pockets!!”

She previously defended her homophobic tirades.

Banks insisted: “You can be a straight faggot… Faggots are men who want to bring women down, fuck with their heads, control them.”

On another occasion when she was challenged on her views, she claimed: “even if i am a homophobe… so wat? [sic] i still make more $ than u”.

However, Banks now insists that it is impossible for her to be homophobic, because she is bisexual.

She wrote: “Why do gay men think everything I post about being gay is about them?! GIRLS ARE GAY TOO. I LIKE VAGINAS.”