On Saturday, Russell Crowe was hosting a private dinner party at his room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel when something happened between him and one of the guests — Azealia Banks. According to TMZ, Crowe asked the rapper to leave when she turned into the guest “from hell” and made threats to other guests. Witnesses tell TMZ that Russell, who was hosting about 10 people at the dinner, eventually grabbed Banks in a bear hug and carried her out of the suite. Banks revealed a different story in a now-deleted Facebook post. As the New York Daily News reports, Banks claims that Crowe called her the n-word, choked her, and spit on her after throwing her out. She also reportedly wrote, “I wish I had someone to beat him up for me.” Here’s what else we know about the incident:
Banks was a guest of a guest. No, Crowe and Banks did not have a secret Hollywood friendship. According to TMZ, Crowe invited rapper, producer, and filmmaker RZA to the party. RZA brought Banks as his plus one.
It all started with Crowe’s music tastes. The purpose of Crowe’s get together was apparently to just have dinner and listen to music, as one does on the weekend. Fellow dinner guests tell TMZ that Banks “laughed out loud” at the actor’s music selection and called Crowe and one other guest “boring white men.”
Banks used the n-word, not Crowe. The same witnesses claim that Banks made a “threat” to Crowe and a female guest who came to his defense. Apparently, Banks was heard saying, “You would love it if I broke my glass, stabbed you guys in the throat, and blood would squirt everywhere like some real Tarantino shit.” She also dropped “a few n-bombs,” something that RZA claims to have also witnessed, according to TMZ.
The cops are also involved. On Monday, Banks file a battery report with the Beverly Hills Police Department. TMZ reports that Banks went to the cops after Crowe’s camp insisted he did nothing wrong and refused to apologize.
Something is happening on Wednesday. Banks’ most recent Facebook message reads, “The truth will be out on Wednesday. I am 100% innocent in this matter.”
She also teased more “receipts.”
Banks is = “distraught and disheartened” following the incident. Raymani Zaloumis-Steele, a publicist for the rapper, posted the following tweets to give an update on his client.
This post will be updated as more information becomes available.