NEW YORK, NY – Following RZA’s interview with The Breakfast Club earlier this week, the Wu-Tang Clan vet’s publicist has issued a statement to clarify RZA’s involvement in a 2016 incident involving Azealia Banks and actor Russell Crowe.
During the new interview, RZA claimed Crowe “spit at” Banks at a Beverly Hills hotel last October, a detail he left out from his 2016 statement about the incident. Subsequently, Banks took to social media to shame RZA for being a “liar” and said she hoped he’d drop dead.
“The derogatory posts against my client RZA by Azealia Banks is unwarranted and beyond that — unbecoming,” the publicist’s statement reads via NME. “RZA, from the moment he met Ms. Banks, bet on her to win. So much so that when others felt she would be too much trouble to work with on the film Love Beats Rhyme, he disregarded what had been said and looked beyond her well-documented controversies moving forward with securing her as his lead.”
The statement continued, “Her introduction to Russell Crowe at his private party resulted in Banks going on a salacious mission to disparage him and RZA. Playing the race card and anything else she could.”
RZA’s team reiterates how willing the legendary rapper was to help Banks along in her career despite her tumultuous past and sullied reputation.
“I represent RZA and found it necessary to state he would never have done what he has in support of Ms. Banks to put her in a position to be harmed, ridiculed, demeaned, or treated in an inhumane way,” the statement read. “And still, he continues to support her. As Ms. Banks reputation precedes her, RZA hasn’t and does not want to further embarrass Banks and stands by not revealing all of the details at this time. In fact, after the incident, concerned about her welfare, RZA made sure she made it back to her hotel safely.”
Source: HipHopDX