The Evolution of Iggy Azalea
If anyone was to be compared to The Beatles, Australian rapper Iggy Azalea would have been the last person most people would have chosen. But after winning the top 2 Bilboard Hot 100 spots, an accomplishment previously won only by the British pop band, Beatles comparisons are beginning to make a lot more sense for the blonde Hip Hop artist.
With the number one spot going to “Fancy”, her catchy Clueless themed number featuringthe brunette Brit, Charlie XCX, and number 2 going to the surprisingly quality piece Problem (in which she raps alongside the Disney starlet Arianna Grande), Iggy is becoming quite the topic of conversation and controversy among musical pundits.
Unsurprisingly, many people hate her. Makes sense. She is blonde, Australian, white woman who many are calling the biggest thing in Hip Hop. A pretty unusual title to be given to someone who raps in a Southern drawl and speaks in Australian accented English. But is all of the hate really being fairly given to Iggy (given name Amethyst)? After all, she is not the first pale chick to give the rap game a try- and succeed.
First off Gwen Stefani:
When the crop top wearing blonde, best known for being the face of the ska band No Doubt went solo with Hollaback girl, it wasn’t as clear that she was making such an important breakthrough. But when you remember the chorus of the song “Let me hear you say this shit is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S”. It becomes clear. She was rapping. And though it was obviously not the most profound set of lyrics- they were good. They were catchy. And we loved them.
Then let’s remember Fergie
Arguably the best thing about The Black Eyed Peas (though some might argue in favor of Will.I.Am.) it was not that shocking when she decided to try it solo. Even less shocking when her solo career fell apart after only a couple of hit singles. But let’s be honest here. Those singles were gold! And again- she was rapping something fierce. Especially on Fergalicious (“From the F to the E, R, G the I the E, uh, ain’t no other woman put it down like me”).
Neither of these white female rapper drew the amount of hate and controversy that Iggy is now facing. Possibly because neither of them reached the level of success that she is now reaching (though Gwen really could have- what ever happened to her anyway?) And the truth is, whether you love Iggy or hate her, she is clearly an important new face to the rap game. And with two hit singles topping the charts, she is here to stay. “First things first I’m the realest?”, maybe not as real as Gwen, but there are certainly a few of us who are wanting “a bad bitch like dis”.
