American rapper Azealia Banks called Australian actor Russell Crowe a „racist, misogynist pig” following an altercation between them last Saturday night.
The 212 singer, 25, claimed the New Zealand actor, 52, called her a racial slur, choked her and spat at her during a small gathering in Suite 117 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. She has filed a police report of battery over the incident.
A source familiar with the investigation, who asked not to be named, told Fairfax Media on Friday that the Beverly Hills Police Department have yet to make contact with Crowe, and they believe fault lies with Banks.
„He has done nothing wrong and the outrageous conduct and subsequent lies of Ms Banks have put him in a terrible and unfair position,” they said. „She didn’t get an apology because she wasn’t deserving of one.
„It is very upsetting to have someone using the media to tell lies about you.”
Banks has given a detailed version of her side of the story to British tabloid The Sun in which she claims the separated father-of-two flirted with her prior to their confrontation while he was drinking a mixture of „moonshine, whisky, vodka”.
„Russell and I get next to each other. He’s talking to me, I’m talking to him, and we start flirting. We’re having a really good time. He’s got his knee on my knee, he’s touching my leg, I’m playing him my music, he tweets my song The Big Big Beat.
„He’s like, ‘I love this, you’re beautiful, this is great’,” she said.
Banks said things turned sour when she insulted a guest. Crowe told her she was inexperienced and Banks told him, „Your best days are behind you”. A female guest defended Crowe and when Banks threatened to throw a glass at her, he intervened.
„He calls me a n—–, and then grabs me, picks me up, he chokes me by the throat, picks me up, throws me out of the room and then spits on me,” Banks said.
Crowe has not responded publicly, save for retweeting TMZ’s article about „tossing” her out of his hotel suite and a People story with the heading, „Azealia Banks wants Russell Crowe to apologise for alleged attack, but witnesses refute her claims: sources”.
Crowe’s friend Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA and leader of the hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan, took Banks as his plus-one to the party, but has now spoken out against her „behaviour” on the night.
RZA told TMZ that Crowe did spit at Banks but that he didn’t choke her or use the n-word.
In a lengthy Facebook post, he also described Banks as a „struggling artist in this complex industry” who he has tried to help by casting her in his film Coco, getting her a record deal and lending her money, but he was left „embarrassed” by her actions at the hotel party because she was his guest.
„Before the night is over Azealia is insulting half the room, she becomes loud and obnoxious,” he wrote. „… Azealia threaten to cut a girl in the face with a glass, then actually grabs a glass and physically attacks for no logical reason.
„Russell blocked the attack and expelled her from the suite. Seeing is believing and I saw her behave as an obnoxious erratic individual, and in the circles I frequent, this was unprecedented.”
He added: „This is not a race or gender issue. I did not hear Russell call her a n—–. I’m not trying to protect Russell from anything, he is a man of his own calibre”.
Australian comedian Jim Jefferies, who was one of 10 guests at Crowe’s party that night along with director Ridley Scott and Swedish pop star Elliphant, took to Twitter to defend the actor.
„This is 100 per cent the truth. I was there, she was out of control. Russell did absolutely nothing wrong,” he wrote. „Azealia Banks is a complete liar. I was in the room. Russell Crowe is completely innocent.”
Azelia Banks is a complete liar. I was in the room. Russell Crowe is completely innocent. I would take a lie detector.
It is also being claimed that some of the party guests are considering taking legal action against her after they were left „scared” by her actions.
Both Banks and Crowe have had their fair share of misdemeanours in the past.
Banks was recently barred from Twitter after a racist rant against former One Direction star Zayn Malik. She has a long-running feud with Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, who she has accused of cultural appropriation. In March, after Azalea spoke about her struggles with depression, Banks took to Instagram to encourage her to commit suicide.
She has also fallen out with Sarah Palin (who she said should be gang raped), Eminem, Rita Ora and Lily Allen, and used homophobic slurs against showbiz blogger, Perez Hilton.
Meanwhile, this is Crowe’s second hotel row. In 2005, the New Zealand-born star was fined and given a conditional discharge by a New York court after admitting to throwing a phone that hit a hotel employee when he couldn’t call his wife Danielle Spencer in Australia.
In 2002, Crowe got into a fight in a London restaurant with Eric Watson, the owner of the New Zealand Warriors rugby team, after allegedly making remarks about the team’s colour.
But despite both of their reputations, Banks hopes the incident will help Crowe become a better person
She explains to People: „I want him to take accountability for his actions. I believe that Russell is a damaged man and I hope the prospect of legal action will force him to seek help in overcoming his personal demons.”
Fairfax Media have asked Russell Crowe and Azealia Banks for comment.
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/azealia-banks-claims-russell-crowe-was-racist-and-choked-her-during-hotel-row-20161020-gs7fkj.html
