Azealia Banks issues cease & desist letter against The 1975’s Matty Healy and demands $1million in damages after “threats of violence”

Azealia Banks has issued a cease & desist letter against The 1975’s Matty Healy and is demanding $1million (£790,000) in damages.

• READ MORE: The NME Big Read – The 1975: “I’d rather be a pretend supervillain than some pretend hero”

The legal filing follows on from an online altercation between the two musicians last week (December 4), in which Healy rounded on Banks after she criticised his friend and collaborator Charli XCX.

Re-sharing a clip of the video for Charli’s 2014 song ‘Break The Rules’, Banks wrote: “Charli used to be soooo pretty. Ugh.”

Healy came to the ‘365’ singer’s defence, writing: “Azealia you seem to have a blind spot when it comes to your ‘reads’. All the women you attack seem to be culturally relevant, attractive, divisive and NICE people.” He then added that Banks is “jealous”, saying: “You’re so talented but everything else about you is a failure. Just rap bro.”

The feud then escalated quickly, with Banks saying: “The bitch look[s] like Frankenstein to me. You both look like you share needles. Lmao.”

In a since-deleted tweet, Healy then replied: “Talk to me like that I’m not gonna side eye you at an awards do I’m going to fucking slap you so hard I’ll get a Guinness world record for the highest a rat some bitch calls a wig has ever flown.”

Banks had already threatened Healy with legal action over his threat of physical violence, and now she has posted a legal letter on X sent by her attorney Wallace Collins to Healy’s Los Angeles residence.

Cc: @the1975 @jamieoborne pic.twitter.com/EadGOQgAlr

— Azealia Banks (@azealiaslacewig) December 8, 2024

The letter, dated December 7, opens: “Please be advised that I am legal counsel to superstar Azealia Banks in connection with your threats of violence against my client. If you are represented by legal counsel, please direct this letter to your attorney immediately and have your attorney notify us of such representation.”

It goes on to state that Healy’s “attacks” against Banks’ “professional reputation”, his “overt racial epithets” and his “threats of physical violence” have been well documented, and that Healy’s own acknowledgement that the comments were inappropriate “does not undo the damage, but rather constitutes evidence of an admission of guilt by you”.

The letter asserts that Healy “acted intentionally with the specific purpose of causing my client to be shocked, distressed and emotionally injured with your assaults of threat of imminent physical harm”. It adds that due to Healy’s public profile, he has “a duty to avoid reckless statements”, and it raises the possibility that his followers “may be incited to act upon your posts and commit an act of violence” against Banks.

“Rather than commence costly and time-consuming legal action, I have usually found it beneficial for all parties to try to resolve such matters amicably without the need for court intervention,” Collins continued.

“We hereby demand that you immediately cease & desist from making any further threats or defamatory statements against my client and demand is hereby made for (1) a prompt public apology to my client (in a manner to be mutually agreed upon) and (2) compensation for damages in the amount of $1,000,000.00 in full settlement of this matter”.

pic.twitter.com/i99dB0gPpD

— Azealia Banks (@azealiaslacewig) December 8, 2024

It adds that if Healy is not able to meet those demands, “then my client will be forced to commence legal action immediately and seek substantial monetary damages as well as legal fees and appropriate injunctive relief”.

Banks shared the letter in two posts on X on Sunday (December 8), tagging in The 1975 and Jamie Oborne, the CEO of the band’s label, Dirty Hit.

Following the original altercation, Healy acknowledged the row on Reddit on December 5, writing: “What a bad day, I really let myself down.”

“I have worked so hard to move past these impulsive self destructive and honestly quite volatile outbursts I have,” he added. “I’m constantly making trouble for myself for no reason, I come back to social media after depressive episodes (which is NOT an excuse) because I often become sober, so as an addict when I’m not using I pick up social media my new way of ‘consuming’ and changing how I feel.”

“I just feel dreadful about how I acted violent – I think Azealia and all obvious flawed people all deep down have a heart and I hate that I have contributed to her mental fragility. She’s a human. This cultural discourse has become so violent in general. I don’t wanna act like I regret who I am or who have been. But Tbh at this point I feel gross even having said anything negative ever about anything – if it’s contributed to this culture”

He went on to say: “I’m not here saying this cos I feel bullied and scared. I’m embarrassed man. And I’m sad. And I want this 1975 world to be dreamy and wonderful again. Not some black mirror episode about being a fucking hipster. I hope to put as much work into our need and desire for altruism and understanding and love as I have about the dangers of becoming an internet lunatic. Cos that happened to me and it’s was real but it’s time to move on as an artist. Sending you all love.”

Banks has since doubled down on her comments about Charli’s physical appearance, writing: “I said what the fuck I said. Charli has horrible fucking plastic surgery. Period. Do something.”

She then reiterated that “Matt Healy is getting sued” and said “Charli XCX is still botched”, adding: “Now fucking what?”

Charli XCX is engaged to Healy’s 1975 bandmate George Daniel – the latter of whom earned co-writing and production credits on his fiancé’s latest album, ‘Brat’. He is credited on ‘Club Classics’ – where Charli declares “I wanna dance with George” – and the viral hit ‘Apple’ (Daniel recently did the viral dance to the latter song at the ‘Brat’ tour).

Healy and Daniel also created a 1975 re-working of Charli’s track ‘I Might Say Something Stupid’ for her new ‘Brat’ remix album. During an interview in October, the pop star said Healy was “like [her] brother now”.