The feud between US rapper Azealia Banks and The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy has escalated dramatically. Banks has sent Healy a cease-and-desist letter demanding $1 million in damages after he called her a “rat” and threatened to “slap” her during a heated exchange on X last week.
Banks shared the letter, prepared by her attorney Wallace Collins, to X before it was taken down for violating the platform’s rules. The letter charges Healy with making defamatory statements and violent threats, and demands that he cease further harassment, issue a public apology, and pay damages.
It started when Healy called Banks out for attacking pop star Charli XCX. Then, Healy proceeded to assault Banks, alleging she was jealous and went so far as to call her “a failure.” In return, Banks launched a relentless barrage of insults, attacking everything from Healy’s fiancée to his struggles with addiction.
Healy later apologized in a now-deleted post, saying, “I can’t be saying I’m gonna hit a girl, that’s insane. I’m sorry.” However, his X account has since been deactivated.
With legal action looming, the bitter exchange shows no signs of cooling down anytime soon.