Banks has released three mixtapes (Fantasea in 2012, Slay-Z in 2016 and Yung Rapunxel: Pt.II in 2019), one studio album (Broke with Expensive Taste in 2014) and two extended plays (1991 in 2012 and Icy Colors Change in 2018). Her long-delayed second and third studio albums, Fantasea II: The Second Wave and Business & Pleasure, await release. The lead singles from each respective album, "Anna Wintour" and "Black Madonna" were released in April 2018 and June 2020 respectively.
In early 2017, Banks launched her online store, CheapyXO. The site sells spiritual items, artist merchandise from Banks and most notably, original skin-care products. In December 2017, she had her film debut in the musical drama Love Beats Rhymes, receiving positive reviews for her performance as the lead actress in the film.
Throughout her career, Banks' social media presence and outspoken views, especially on U.S. politics and race, have attracted significant controversy, criticism, and media scrutiny. She has developed a reputation for having disputes with public figures on Twitter.
Tarantula
Azealia Banks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Frail is your body a conscience re-designed
To be childlike and bitter
Childlike and bitter
Waif like and blind
Frail is your body a conscience re-designed
To be childlike and bitter
The gaunt visage you try to hide
While walking past mirrors
You have erased yourself
You've learned to hate yourself
Oh, what a time to be alive
Burning from the inside, cremated from the inside out
I walk across the ceiling at night
I see you through all eight of my eyes
I'll zip-line, venom inside
Blood boils you awake, and you're paralyzed
He's tried so many times
He's tried so many fucking times
He's tried so many times
To take my life away
But he'll be the first to die tonight
He'll be the first to die tonight
Night, night, night, night, night, night
You'll be the next to die tonight
Your ashes are bitter
Cremated from the inside out
Cremated in the inside
I walk across the ceiling at night
I see you and him through all eight eyes
While you are sleeping
While you are sleeping, my dear
I'll zip-line and I'm inside
Blood boils you awake and you're paralyzed
A witness of your own d-demise
You'll be the first to die tonight
A dead groom and a corpse bride
You'll be the first to die tonight
I promise, my dear
The lyrics to Azealia Banks's song "Tarantula" convey themes of self-hatred, inner turmoil, and revenge. The opening lines "Waif like and blind / Frail is your body a conscience re-designed" suggest a fragile and vulnerable state of being. The persona of the song seems to be addressing someone who is childlike, bitter, and possibly consumed by self-loathing. The lyric "You have erased yourself, You've learned to hate yourself" implies that this person has lost their sense of identity and developed a profound aversion towards themselves.
The second verse introduces a male antagonist who has repeatedly attempted to harm or kill the persona. The line "He's tried so many times, To take my life away" reveals the persona's struggle to survive in the face of this constant threat. However, the persona asserts their strength and determination by claiming that the antagonist will be the first to die that night.
The chorus emphasizes the bitterness and destruction that have consumed the persona. The lyric "Your ashes are bitter, Cremated from the inside out" suggests a metaphorical burning from within, a sense of decay and darkness. The persona's ability to "walk across the ceiling at night" and see through "all eight eyes" symbolizes their heightened awareness and ability to observe their surroundings. The final lines "You'll be the first to die tonight, I promise, my dear" imply that the persona will exact their revenge and ensure that the antagonist meets their demise.
Overall, "Tarantula" explores themes of self-hatred, survival, and vengeance, with vivid imagery and a haunting atmosphere.
Line by Line Meaning
Waif like and blind
Delicate and unaware, lacking direction
Frail is your body a conscience re-designed
Your body is fragile and your moral compass has been altered
To be childlike and bitter
To embody innocence but also hold resentment
The gaunt visage you try to hide
You attempt to conceal your thin and hollow appearance
While walking past mirrors
As you pass by reflective surfaces
You have erased yourself
You have intentionally removed your identity
You've learned to hate yourself
You have developed self-hatred
Oh, what a time to be alive
Such a significant period to exist in
Burning from the inside, cremated from the inside out
Consuming flames within, being destroyed internally
I walk across the ceiling at night
I figuratively move above you while you sleep
I see you through all eight of my eyes
I perceive you comprehensively
I'll zip-line, venom inside
I will swiftly attack, filled with poison
Blood boils you awake, and you're paralyzed
Your fear intensifies, rendering you immobile
He's tried so many times
He has made numerous attempts
He'll be the first to die tonight
He will be the initial casualty this evening
Your ashes are bitter
The remnants of your being evoke bitterness
Cremated from the inside out
Reduced to ashes internally
I see you and him through all eight eyes
I perceive both you and your partner fully
While you are sleeping, my dear
While you are in a state of slumber, my beloved
A witness of your own d-demise
Observing your own downfall
You'll be the first to die tonight
You will be the initial casualty this evening
A dead groom and a corpse bride
A lifeless husband and a deceased wife
You'll be the first to die tonight
You will be the initial casualty this evening
I promise, my dear
I assure you, my beloved
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Azealia Amanda Banks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind