Beefs 2013: Azealia Banks Feuds with Baauer over "Harlem Shake" Remix

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Feb 15, 2013

Beef has blown up between Brooklyn beatmaker Baauer and rapper Azealia Banks over the latter's apparently unsanctioned vocal cover of the producer's chart-dominating dance track "Harlem Shake."

The remix appeared yesterday (February 14) and featured Banks spitting bars about her hometown, but apparently Baauer wasn't too into the rework and made a copyright claim against the rapper. Banks herself was left unimpressed by the producer's legal move, tweeting, "why you coccblockin tho???"

Baauer's response was simply, "because it's not your song."

Dismissive tweets, which have now been removed, were then hurled by Young Rapunzel, accusing Baauer of co-opting/corrupting the mythos of the Harlem Shake with his track. Baauer's song has now been immortalized as a meme, with dozens upon dozens of goofy, choreographed videos being scored by the dance tune.

"You're a pussy. You don't belong in hip-hop…You don't even belong in Harlem…you don't even know what a fucking Harlem Shake even is," Banks wrote.

She then delivered a few more nasty insults, writing, "you guys are all faggoots… May you drown in faggotry," before telling the producer that he can't expect people to leave his beat untouched.

"If you don't want me to rap on ur shit then don't put it out nigga," she posted. "For real. Shit ain't safe. I'll piss on ur lawn."

Baauer's official "Harlem Shake" is currently the No. 1 song on iTunes. Banks' now-controversial hijacking was removed from her SoundCloud page.

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