Azealia Banks is a female American rapper and singer. In 2011 she came to attention when she topped the NME "Cool List" for the year.On December 5, 2011, the BBC announced that Banks had been nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.Azealia Amanda Banks (born May 31, 1991) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Raised in Harlem, New York, Banks pursued an interest in musical theatre at a young age, studying at the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts before dropping out to focus on her musical career. In late 2008, she adopted the pseudonym "Miss Bank$", and began releasing music through MySpace, eventually being signed to XL Recordings at age 17