Last year, Australian rapper, Iggy Azalea, took the hip-hop world by storm when her single “Fancy” became an instant hit. Since then, Iggy has become one of the most talked about rappers in the industry, and many people wonder whether or not she’s here to stay. After all, the rap genre has never been particularly welcoming for females, and there aren’t many rap artists who aren’t from the United States. Still, Iggy has found a way to her thing and build a pretty impressive fan base. However, despite her success, Iggy has accumulated her fair share of haters, and there are many people who don’t believe she deserves the recognition she’s gotten. But perhaps, people may think differently of her if they knew her story. Here are 10 crazy facts about Iggy Azalea.
She shares a Billboard record with The Beatles
There aren’t too many artists who can say that they can actually be compared to The Beatles, but Iggy Azalea is one of them. In 2014, Iggy became the only other artist besides The Beatles, to have her first two Billboard hits rank at one and two simultaneously. Whether you like or dislike her, that’s a tough accomplishment to ignore.
T.I. has helped her during her career
Behind every successful new artist, is a veteran to the game who knows how to navigate the business. With that being said, Iggy Azalea’s success hasn’t been a solo effort. Throughout her career, Iggy has been mentored by fellow rapper, T.I. who has had a very successful career of his own. In 2012, Iggy signed to T.I.’s label, Grand Hustle, and T.I. was very helpful to Iggy early in her career. Even recently, T.I. has come to Iggy’s defense when she’s found herself being targeted by other rappers.
She’s engaged to Nick Young
Early in her career, Iggy had a pretty high-profile relationship with fellow rapper, A$AP Rocky. However, these days she’s moved on to a baller, and her relationship with NBA player, Nick Young, has gotten them both a considerable amount of attention. In the fall of 2013, the couple began dating, and in the summer of 2015 they announced their engagement. Although the couple has yet to set a date, sources say that Iggy is already making plans for the big day.
Her stage name is a combination of her dog and her street
It’s not uncommon for rappers to have names that may sound a little strange. But while many rappers’ stage name comes from a nickname or a variation of their birth name, Iggy Azalea has a much a different story. Born Amethyst Amelia Kelly, it’s pretty clear to see that Iggy’s stage name has nothing to do with her real name, and that’s because the name Iggy Azalea comes from a combination of her childhood dog, Iggy, and the street she grew up on in Australia, Azalea Street.
She’s also a model
Before her hip-hop career took off, Iggy signed a pretty big modeling contract with Wilhelmina Models. In 2012, she was dubbed the face of Levi’s jeans, and appeared in an eye wear campaign. Although her busy schedule in the music industry doesn’t leave her with much time to pursue a professional modeling career, her good looks have definitely come in handy.
She was the first female to be featured in an XXL freshman class
Each year, the popular hip-hop themed magazine, XXL, releases a list of the top 10 upcoming artists in the hip-hop world. Since the list began in 2008, it has become a popular way for fans to get a glimpse of new artists who could eventually be the next big names. When Iggy was featured on the list in 2012, she became the first female (Nicki Minaj declined when she was offered the chance earlier) and the first international artist to be featured on the list.
The Nanny is one of her fashion icons
When most people think of the popular 90s sitcom, The Nanny, fashion isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, Iggy cites the nanny (Fran Drescher) as one of her biggest role models when it comes to style. According to Iggy, “She [the nanny] has all these outfits that are totally tacky and I just like to mix tacky with classy.I don’t know. I just thinks it works well…”
She’s had some issues with Nicki Minaj
Iggy Azalea may be building a pretty impressive career, but Nicki Minaj still reigns as the current queen of hip-hop – and when she talks, people listen. Last year, Nicki definitely had something to say about Iggy’s success. While Iggy was breaking records, Nicki, who has had several hits of her own, felt like Iggy’s success was a reflection of cultural appropriation. Nicki took to Twitter to let her feeling be known, and many of her fans quickly took her side.
Her rap accent is fake
Iggy Azalea may have a bit of a southern twang when she raps, but it’s all just for show. Iggy’s real accent definitely reflects her Australian roots, and she gotten a lot of flack for pretending to sound different.
She dropped out of high school
These days, dropping out of high school is almost a sure-fire way to ruin your future. With a lack of opportunities available to those without education, not having a high school diploma is definitely a no go. However, despite dropping out of high school, Iggy was able to chase her dreams and find success.
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for CBS Radio Inc.)
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