Azealia Banks sent Matty Healy a cease and desist letter.
The 33-year-old rapper posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) on Dec. 8 of an official cease-and-desist letter from her attorney, Wallace EJ Collins III, citing “threats of violence” made by Healy after he has since deleted tweets about her.
The war of words between the two began when Banks commented on Charli xcx’s looks, writing under a video of the singer, 32, on X on Dec. 3, “Charli used to be sooooo beautiful. ugh”
Healy, 35, responded from his account, which goes by the name “Truman Black” and has since been deleted, accusing Banks of attacking female artists online who are “culturally relevant, attractive, divisive and GOOD people,” according to The Independent.
“I think this makes you jealous because you’re so talented, but everything about you is a failure,” continued Healy, whose bandmate George Daniel is engaged to Charli. “Just rap bro.”
Cardi B hits back at Azealia Banks over ‘illiterate, talentless’ comments — then quits social media
Matty Healy in London 2022.
Karwai Tang/WireImage
Banks then responded, according to the release, “I still don’t know any of your music, but make sure you keep all that s— behind your keyboard. This is hip-hop and it’s very easy to set you up. Bad bag, bad pill only costs $200 and an ounce of weed.
Hitting back, Healy wrote: “I’m gonna fucking slap you so I get the Guinness World Record for the highest flight of a rat called a wig by a bitch.”
The 1975 musician later publicly apologized on Reddit and removed his tweets. “What a bad day, I really let myself down,” Healy began in his post, adding in part, “I just feel terrible about how I acted violently — I think Azealia and all the obvious flawed people deep down have a heart and I I hate that I contributed to her mental fragility. She is human.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Meanwhile, Banks continued her original take on Charlie, writing on X on Dec. 4, “And I said what the hell I said. Charli has horrible fucking plastic surgery. Period.”
In addition to posting images of Healy’s now-deleted tweets and responding online, Banks also shared a copy of her cease-and-desist letter from X. Banks’ attorney, Collins III, confirmed the authenticity of the letter to PEOPLE, but did not provide a copy of the original.
In the letter, Banks’ lawyer accused Healy of making “threats of violence” against the rapper, adding: “Your attacks on my client’s professional reputation, your blatant racial epithets and your latest threats of physical violence against my client were well-documented since being published worldwide online (my client saved screenshots before you deleted your posts) and your attacks have now been republished in numerous newspaper articles around the world.”
Lana Del Rey threatens Azealia Banks with a ‘F— Up’ during heated Twitter feud over Kanye West
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(669x320:671x322)/azealia-banks-120924-1-9327a8a2c2eb4658a623d3a52d394d9c.jpg)
Azealia Banks at Paris Fashion Week 2017.
Swan Gallet/WWD/Penske Media via Getty
Banks’ attorney said in the letter that Healy’s apology and the removal of his posts was considered an “admission of guilt.”
Collins III specifically cited Healy “calling her a rat” and accusing the singer of “cyber harassment and cyber bullying” as well as “slander, libel and defamation”.
As for Banks’ claims, her attorney requested that Healy “immediately cease and desist from making any further threats or defamatory statements against my client” and also requested, “A prompt public apology to my client (in a manner mutually agreed upon ).”
The final request was for “damages in the amount of $1,000,000 in full resolution of this matter.”
A representative for Healy did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education