Azealia Banks and Matty Healy engage in heated exchange on Twitter/X. pic.twitter.com/ZLf7DjOOr9

— Pop Base (@PopBase) December 4, 2024

Azealia Banks is an American rapper and singer known for her outspoken personality and controversial public statements, as well as hits like ‘212‘. She has often been involved in public disputes with other artists. Matty Healy is the lead singer of The 1975, an English band known for its genre-blending music and cultural commentary. A standout example is ‘Love It If We Made It‘ from their 2018 album ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships‘. The song is a chaotic and impassioned reflection on contemporary society, capturing themes such as political unrest, social media culture, celebrity worship, and environmental degradation.  Healy has been candid about his personal struggles and is no stranger to controversy, often using social media to voice his opinions. The conflict intensified when Healy allegedly made violent threats and derogatory comments about Banks and her physical appearance. Banks retaliated with personal insults about Healy and his fiancée, Gabbriette Bechtel.

Azealia Banks responds to Matty Healy’s apology. pic.twitter.com/wySlQXf7d0 — Pop Base (@PopBase) December 4, 2024

This online spat culminated in Banks issuing a cease-and-desist letter demanding a public apology and $1 million in damages, alleging defamation and threats of violence. In the letter, Banks claimed that Healy’s statements, including threats to “slap” her, were harmful and demanded immediate cessation of defamatory remarks. Social media platforms flagged and removed some of Healy’s posts, citing policy violations. Healy apologized for suggesting violence but stood by his defense of his friends​. He has since deactivated his X account.

A rat, bitch, physical threats. Now matt healy is getting sued and Charli xcx is still botched now fucking what? pic.twitter.com/gkiGAI44hj

— Azealia Banks (@azealiaslacewig) December 4, 2024

Matty Healy has deactivated his X account multiple times in the past, often following controversies or backlash over his statements. For example, in September 2023, he deactivated his account after criticism from Lucy Dacus over an offensive tweet. He has also faced backlash for remarks made about various topics, including sensitive social and cultural issues, prompting him to step away from the platform temporarily or permanently during heated moments​.

Healy has faced significant controversy for comments and actions many view as offensive toward black women and other marginalized groups, which Azealia Banks also drew attention to. One of the most notable incidents involved a February 2023 episode of ‘The Adam Friedland Show‘ podcast. During this appearance, Healy joined in mocking rapper Ice Spice with racially charged remarks, referring to her as an “Inuit Spice Girl” and a “chubby Chinese lady” while laughing at offensive impressions of Asian accents.

This case highlights how social media disputes among celebrities can quickly escalate into legal battles, with significant reputational and financial stakes​.

Ray hinted at a full Kinks comeback in 2018 with this never coming to fruition. Ray shared, “Well, it got shelved because of… other issues. But there’s still material there. When I get time.” Speaking on his inspiration for new tracks, Ray said the songs are stemming from “home demos” that he has been recording for around thirty years.

He shared, “We’ve got loads of songs there in pieces. There are about two or three songs I want to finish, and when they’re finished, I’ll put the whole thing together.”

Ray also delved into the feud between the original band members, speaking on the artistic differences between himself, his brother Dave Davies and drummer Mick Avory. He shared, “We’re just different animals. We found ourselves at a very young age being in each other’s faces. And we had to work with it somehow.”

Speaking on his brother Dave, Ray shared that he would need to “persuade [him] to come on too” if a full reunion were to happen. He continued, “You’ve gotta be careful because he’ll run off in one direction and I’ll [run] in mine… He’s like that. He stays in control.”

Ultimately, The Kinks reuniting hinges on the band being able to put together “a show that gives us the credit we deserve,” according to Ray.

In the absence of new music, The Kinks have recently released a new anthology series to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their formation. The anthology, titled The Journey, is a two-part compilation of their favourite moments from their catalogue. In a press release for The Journey, Ray Davies said, “Ask yourself the question, is this journey really necessary? …Yes!”

Dave Davies also shared his excitement, saying “I’m delighted with what I think is an inspiring selection of timeless and magical Kinks music.”

‘The Journey – Part 2′ is OUT NOW The band have handpicked a selection of songs, celebrating 60 years of The Kinks, one of the most influential rock bands ever! Dig into these iconic tracks and take yourself on a journey https://t.co/M6XuedWlXe pic.twitter.com/ixnXuop12g

— The Kinks (@TheKinks) November 17, 2023

Has ‘The Journey – Part 2′ had you dancing around all weekend like Ray and Mick? https://t.co/M6XuedWTMM pic.twitter.com/leHczMqAeR

— The Kinks (@TheKinks) November 20, 2023

Purchase The Journey here.

Doherty, the frontman of indie rock band The Libertines, had become notorious for his struggles with substances and his run-ins with the law during the late 2000s and 2010s. Now attempting sobriety, he has reflected on his chaotic past with Louis Theroux.

A real pleasure to catch up with @louistheroux

Catch up now on @BBCiPlayer #louistherouxinterviews pic.twitter.com/FmOnG2VdV6

— Peter Doherty (@petedoherty) November 16, 2023

When questioned on his health, Doherty shared, “You are looking at a very sick man. I’ve battered it, haven’t I, I’ve fucking caned it. [The] heroin and the crack… I surrendered to that, and then it was cocaine and the smoking and the alcohol, and now it’s cheese and the saucisson, and the sugar in the tea.”

He continued, “It’s all gotta go. They told me a little while ago if you don’t change your diet then you’re gonna have diabetes and cholesterol problems. Death’s lurking, you know what I mean? That’s why I carry that stick.”

Doherty also shared that he doesn’t believe he will be able to see his daughter, Billie-May (born in June of this year) grow up. When Theroux suggested living another 25 years to see his daughter start a family of her own, Doherty responded, “That’s a stretch though, isn’t it.”

Theroux also asked Doherty what advice he would give to someone interested in dabbling in drugs, to which Doherty replied, “My life in using was so chaotic and the consequences of [it]… You’ll be in prison and you’ll fuck your body up and you’ll be skint and you’ll lose your family and you’ll lose everything you love. Is it really that good? That’s beyond curiosity, that’s a right mess. I still get tingles thinking about it, but I’m able to talk to you rather than running off and scoring.”

Doherty also delves into other highly publicised aspects of his life throughout the interview, including his relationship with supermodel Kate Moss and his feud with former Libertines bandmate Carl Barat. Barat revealed that Doherty’s addictions caused a rift in the band, leading to The Libertines performing without Doherty.

Discussing Pete Doherty following the interview, Theroux shared, “I was surprised by how funny he was, I was surprised that (maybe I shouldn’t haven’t been) his recovery still seemed precarious, and I would say that maybe I was sort of surprised by his level of openness.”

Theroux continued, “I suppose everyone curates a persona that they present in public and I’m sure he does as well, but his curatorial choice seemed to be that he’ll speak about anything. Occasionally he deflects a bit, but I never felt that he was especially unwilling to talk about stuff, so it’s a very soul-bearing interview.”

Watch Louis Theroux Interviews: Pete Doherty here.

Attempting hip hop for the first time, Williams was met with confusion upon the release of the track. He has now shared his embarrassment surrounding “Rudebox” in his new 4-part Netflix documentary.

Williams said, “My biggest regret is putting that out as the first single. If I’d have put it out third and explained properly [that] it’s daft – I know! I’m not trying to be a grime artist. I know it’s daft.”

He continued, “In the documentary, the biggest cringe point for me is explaining to an audience who are about to listen to ‘Rudebox’ for the first time that this is gonna be the biggest single since ‘Angels’. Then I had another thought about it, that it’s my second most important single because ‘Angels’ gave me the career and ‘Rudebox’ heralded the end of my imperial phase. So in a way I was right, but not in the way I wanted to be.”

The documentary series, simply titled Robbie Williams, explores the highs and the lows of Williams’ career since his debut with boy band Take That in 1990. Williams addresses many hot topics throughout, including his relationship with Geri Haliwell, also known as Ginger Spice of The Spice Girls, and his feud with bandmate Gary Barlow.

The show also touches on the raw topic of mental health struggles, with Williams candidly sharing his history of self-harm and depression. He opened up saying, “Thank God mental health is being talked about in a different way. I read something that triggered me, somebody talking about ‘celeb washing’ of mental illnesses. And celebs making mental health issues sexy.”

He continued, “[people] need to be careful about what we say and how we say it.”

“It felt like, every day, I would read in print what an abhorrent person I was.”

Robbie Williams opens up on his battles with the media. pic.twitter.com/ZQD2g9fE7J

— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) November 12, 2023

The series has already received rave reviews, with fans sharing their opinions on social media.  

The Robbie Williams doc was compelling. Two things stood out. 1. Robbie is a self aware, genuine and decent man. 2. The British press are fucking scum. They’ve driven many of Britain’s best and most talented people to despair, suicide and addiction. They need to be stopped. — Supertanskiii (@supertanskiii) November 12, 2023

Robbie Williams documentary on Netflix – hats off to him for being so open and honest, owning his own shit and somehow finding a way through the madness of superstardom. But what the tabloids tried to do to him was absolutely appalling. #RobbieWilliamspic.twitter.com/aHWTisepRu

— James Melville (@JamesMelville) November 11, 2023

Watch Robbie Williams on Netflix now.

Robbie, being the youngest and most rebellious member, joined the band at the tender age of 16, while Gary, who was positioned as the group’s leader, was a few years older at 19. In the docu-series, Robbie reflects on his time in the band and reveals a sense of rivalry between himself and Gary.

During interviews for the show, Robbie candidly expressed his dislike for Gary, primarily because he believed Gary had everything and the successful career that he himself desired. Robbie admitted to feeling vengeful and wanting to make Gary pay for his perceived advantages.

Robbie said, “I disliked Gary the most because he was the one that was supposed to have the everything, and the career. I wanted to make him pay. I was vengeful.”

Despite Robbie’s departure from Take That after just five years, which left fans devastated, the band split the following year. Robbie embarked on his solo career in 1996, initially achieving moderate success with a few singles entering the charts. However, it was his collaboration with songwriter and producer Guy Chambers, along with the release of the hit song “Angels,” that truly propelled his music career to new heights.

In the documentary featuring one of Robbie’s earlier solo performances, archive footage captures him taunting the audience and directing his hostility towards Gary. He said,“I’m sorry that I treated Gary like that. You can understand why a younger me and a younger you would bump heads,  I’d be like, ‘It’s my game’, and you’d be like, ‘No, it’s my game… it’s my ball’.”

Williams revealed that he did not seek Barlow’s input during any phase of the documentary’s creation. Williams clarified that he was not obligated to do so by law. Although the two had previously discussed the concept of a biopic, Williams admitted that their conversations on the topic were awkward. Robbie said, “Legally I didn’t have to. I’ve had to have chats there, yeah, and they are uncomfortable.”

Take That appeared to have a clear leader in Gary Barlow, with all attention and management focused on him. As a youth, I couldn’t help but feel envious and resentful towards him. Robbie said “And it seemed like there was one person being managed in Take That, and it was Gary Barlow. It was all geared around him and as a young person, I would’ve been jealous of that. I suppose a lot of me resented him.”

In 2006, Take That produced a documentary about their band, during which Robbie offered a brief and apology to Gary. However, Gary appeared to have little to add, stating that he had already expressed his thoughts on the matter in previous interviews. Gary said, “I think I’ve said it all in my interviews, yeah.”

Following Sinead O’Connor’s tragic passing in July 2023, Cyrus has reflected on the feud she had with the Irish singer-songwriter following the release of the “Wrecking Ball” music video a decade ago. Cyrus gained notoriety for the video in which she was shown swinging on a wrecking ball, naked. As of 2023, the video has over 1 billion views and marked a clear departure from Cyrus’s Disney Channel beginnings.

O’Connor penned a scathing open letter to Cyrus in 2013, despite writing “it is said in the spirit of motherliness and with love.”

O’Connor said, “I am extremely concerned for you that those around you have led you to believe, or encouraged you in your own belief, that it is in any way ‘cool’ to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos. It is in fact the case that you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped, whether its the music business or yourself doing the pimping.”

She continued, “Nothing but harm will come in the long run, from allowing yourself to be exploited, and it is absolutely NOT in ANY way an empowerment of yourself or any other young women, for you to send across the message that you are to be valued (even by you) more for your sexual appeal than your obvious talent.”

In her ABC documentary appearance, Cyrus has addressed how she felt at the time, saying, “At the time when I made ‘Wrecking Ball’, I was expecting for there to be controversy and backlash, but I don’t think I expected other women to put me down or turn on me, especially women that had been in my position before.”

Cyrus had shared in 2013 that O’Connor’s music video for her 1990 hit “Nothing Compares 2 U” had inspired her, and responded to the open letter by mocking O’Connor’s mental health issues following the backlash.

Cyrus has now shared, “I had no idea about the fragile mental state that she was in.”

She continued, “I was also only 20 years old. So I could really only wrap my head around mental illness so much and all that I saw was that another woman had told me that this idea was not my idea. Even if I was convinced that it was, it was still just men in power’s idea of me and they had manipulated me to believe that it was my own idea when it never really was. And it was. And it is. And I still love it.”

Cyrus concluded that she was making “my own choices and my own decisions. To have that taken away from me deeply upset me.”

Cyrus ended her reflection on the feud by saying, “God bless Sinéad O’Connor for real, in all seriousness” before performing her track “Wonder Woman” with “Dedicated to Sinead O’Connor” written across the screen.