Read an interview with Azealia Banks by Will Self

In one of the best editorial commissions ever dreamt up, and probably the most unique of all the thousands of interviews Banks has given over the last few months, writer Will Self has interviewed rapper-of-the-moment and NME’s coolest person of 2011 Azealia Banks for today’s Independent .

Referring to his interviewee as the esteemed “Professor Banks”, Self is thought-provoking and insightful on topics such as the “solecisms” of the “paean”, ‘212’. In Self’s words;

She told me that “212” was largely recounted from the point of view of a hugely self-confident Manhattanite, whose street smarts and farouche attractions lead her to be pursued by all ages, ethnicities, genders and orientations, until the point in the song where she considers what a waste of time this gnarly hurly-burly is.

On the topic of criticism Banks’ music might face, Self adds:

I ventured that possibly her material was more acceptable on our foul-mouthed side of the pond than in her own linguistically correct homeland. But Professor Banks nixed this, saying there were always going to be haters everywhere.

Read the full interview here .