Azealia Banks apologises to everyone who 'took offence' to her tweets - except Zayn Malik and Skai Jackson

Azealia Banks has issued an apology - of sorts - to anyone she offended after launching a protracted attack on Zayn Malik and a 14-year-old Disney actress.

Banks is no stranger to controversy and has faced criticism for her remarks about gay men in the past, but her attack overnight was met by an unprecedented backlash.

However, Banks insisted she was not apologising for what she said, only how it made people feel. Her apology extended to everyone - except the targets of her most aggressive tweets.

She then deleted all of her posts, leaving just one remaining:

The controversial rapper attacked Malik overnight and directed racial slurs at the former One Direction star. Her rant began after Banks posted a tweet suggesting Malik’s new video was influenced by her work. “Damn Zayn be mood boarding the f**k of out me,“ she wrote, followed by: ”Ok little wyt [sic] kids I def like Zayn and def think he's a cutie pie.”

Malik posted two tweets without naming who they were directed at. Believing them to be aimed at her, Banks branded him a “curry scented b***h” in a series of tweets. “Imma start calling you punjab you dirty b**h,” she wrote in one.

Banks then continued to insult Malik, her critics and Skai Jackson, a 14-year-old actress who had called on Banks to “simmer down”. Banks responded by calling her a “little black b**tch” and suggesting Malik put her in his music videos and “validate her internet meme status”. She also prompted disgust by telling Skai to have plastic surgery on her breasts and hips.

Her tweets were roundly met with anger and a number urged Twitter to deactivate her account. They also prompted Rinse FM to cancel her headline appearance at Born & Bred festival in July. In a statement, Rinse FM said Born & Bred festival “is a celebration of rave culture and has been created for everyone. We celebrate inclusivity and equality.”

In a string of now deleted tweets, Banks wrote this afternoon: “Big apologies to anyone who was offended by any of the things I said. Not sorry I said it. But sorry for the way I made people feel."

“Everyone except the targets of my tirades."

“Not using my blackness or my NYC persona to excuse anything. I am Azealia Banks and I am who I am,” she continued.

“Again, I say what I mean and I mean what I say. Not apologising for my words WHATSOEVER, apologising for the way people feel.

“Because it's not nice to make people feel bad. But as an individual I have the creative freedom to say whatever the f**k I want.

“Remember that offence is never given, it is only taken. I apologise to everyone who TOOK offence.”

A spokesperson for Banks did not respond to a request for comment. Representatives for Malik declined to comment.