Azealia Banks on Sunday shared a copy of a cease & desist notice sent to Matty Healy by her legal team, demanding a public apology from The 1975 singer, as well as a request for a $1 million settlement.
The letter comes after swirling tension between the two singers which began earlier this week when Healy reactivated his X (formerly Twitter) account. In response to Banks’ tweet saying Charli XCX “used to be soooo pretty,” Healy wrote that “All the women you attack seem to be culturally relevant, attractive, divisive and NICE people. I think this makes you jealous cos you’re so talented but everything else about you is a failure. Just rap bro.”
Banks responded to Healy’s insult by writing that he and his fiancée, model Gabbriette, “both look like you share needles,” to which Healy threatened to “fucking slap you so hard I’ll get a Guiness world record for the highest a rat some bitch calls a wig has ever flown.”
Healy then apologized for the threats in a statement online and deactivated his account.
Banks has a history of throwing insults on social media. Healy does as well, including many documented instances of racist comments.
The cease & desist letter, shared by Banks on her X account and dated Saturday Dec. 7 from Wallace J. Collins III in New York City, notes that its demands are in response to Healy’s “threats of violence.”
Collins confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday that his office sent the letter to Healy on Saturday night.
“Your attacks against my client’s professional reputation, your overt racial epithets and your most recent threats of physical violence against my client have been well-documented since you published them worldwide online,” Collins wrote, noting that Banks saved screenshots of the posts Healy has since deleted. He called Healy’s actions “wrongful, bad faith and malicious” and said they have “seriously damaged and will continue to damage my client.”
The letter continues, “Your removal of the damaging attack posts and your acknowledgement that your reaction was inappropriate does not undo the damage, but rather constitutes evidence of an admission of guilt by you.”
He went on to note that he had drafted a summons and complaint per Banks’ request, but that “I have usually found it beneficial for all parties to try to resolve such matters amicably without the need for court intervention.”
The note ends with a demand that Healy immediately cease and desist from making any further or defamatory statements against Banks and that he make a prompt and public apology to her. He also demands compensation in the amount of $1 million for “full settlement of this matter.”
THR reached out to reps for Healy and Banks for further comment on the matter.
