Broke With Expensive Taste

## ***Broke With Expensive Taste***Studio album by Azealia Banks

* Standard
* Deluxe

### Producer(s)

Apple Juice Kid • Araabmuzik • Ariel Pink • Boddika • Enon • Lazy Jay • Lil Internet • Lone • Machinedrum • M. J. Cole • Oskar Cartaya • Pearson Sound • Pop Wansel • SCNTST • Sup Doodle • Yung Skeeter

## Singles

1. "Yung Rapunxel"
Released: August 13th, 2013
2. "Heavy Metal and Reflective"
Released: November 7th, 2013
3. "212" (feat. Lazy Jay)
Released: January 15th, 2014
4. "Luxury"
Released: March 12th, 2014
5. "Chasing Time"
Released: June 16th, 2014
6. "Ice Princess"
Released: September 5th, 2014

## Album Chronology

***Broke With Expensive Taste*** (originally titled ***Before The Expensive Taste***) is the debut studio album by American rapper Azealia Banks. It was released on May 21th, 2014 through Interscope and Polydor Records. The album was originally slated for a late 2012-2013 release, but was ultimately delayed as Banks wanted to rework the album and add more songs. Banks also wanted to wait until the competition died down a little so she could start promoting the album.

Four singles preceded it's release: "Yung Rapunxel", "Heavy Metal and Reflective", "212", and "Luxury". The album topped the *Billboard Heatseekers* chart and peaked at #24 on the *Billboard 200* chart. The album also peaked at #7 on the *Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums* chart. Upon its release, the album received universal acclaim from music critics.

Three editions of the album are available. A deluxe edition of the album was released four days after the standard edition was released, which contains three new tracks. A Target Exclusive edition of the album was released the same day of the standard edition's release, which contains two exclusive bonus tracks. A Japanese edition of the album was released the same day of the standard edition's release, which contains two exclusive bonus remixes of "212" and "Luxury".

## Background

*Broke With Expensive Taste* took three years to fully complete. The album underwent significant changes sonically and conceptually throughout the years it took to record. Banks was also having negative experiences with many different record labels she signed with. While dealing with label issues, Banks began recording the album while living at her sister's house. By the end of 2011, Banks had over thirty songs written for the album and was undergoing the process of narrowing them down to form the current tracklist.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Banks confirmed that the album was still in the process of recording and that it was expected to be released around mid-to-late 2012 or 2013. That year, Banks signed with labels Def Jam Recordings and Roc Nation and continued to work on the album. Approximately a month later, she announced the original album title—*Before The Expensive Taste*. She paused the album process for a moment to finish working on and release both her debut extended play, *1991*, and her debut mixtape, *Fantasea*.

Approximately a year later, she handed a complete album in to the labels. Banks initially thought that the album would receive favorable reception from the labels; however, the representatives told Banks that she had not recorded a "hit" single for the album. She consequently recorded a song called "Chasing Time" for the project, yet the label denied the track and forced Banks to choose "Soda" as the lead single, which made Banks become incredulous. Ultimately, Banks ended the record deal with Def Jam/Roc Nation in July 2013.

In early 2014, Banks signed with Interscope and Polydor Records. Shortly after signing, she decided to rework the album sonically. Afterwards, she sent the finished product to Interscope representatives, who approved of the album. A few months later, Australian rapper Iggy Azalea began shading Banks in jealousy on Twitter. This caused legions of Azalea's fans to send hate towards Banks and her craft. In the midst of this, Banks began promoting her album throughout 2014. That same year, Banks changed the album's title to *Broke With Expensive Taste*.

## Composition

*Broke With Expensive Taste* is primarily a hip-hop, hip house, and experimental hip-hop record which incorporates elements from a wide range of genres, including hardcore punk, punk, trance, trap, R&B, UK garage, dance-pop, Caribbean, deep house, Latin, and surf rock. The album talks about Azealia's life growing up and her experiences throughout her childhood as well.

## Critical reception

Upon its release, *Broke With Expensive Taste* received widespread universal acclaim from music critics and music publications alike, who praised its production, songwriting, and lyricism. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 86, which indicates "universal acclaim", based on 10 reviews.

Writing for NME, Matthew Horton gave the album a score of 75, saying "The important thing is, the tried-and-tested and the “new” mix fairly well, ‘212’ slotting handsomely into a blistering opening 25 minutes that shifts from the booty bhangra grooves of ‘Idle Delilah’ to the horns and Pantha Du Prince synths of ‘Gimme A Chance’, barely finding time to gasp. Banks rarely bothers with a breather anyway, fiddling with vowel sounds and spitting rhymes at a pace to challenge Missy Elliott. A flabby middle section is redeemed by the deep-house synths of single ‘Chasing Time’ (“I try to give you a little more space to grow,” Banks says, possibly to herself) and by the time she’s cooing over the bizarre surf-pop of ‘Nude Beach A-Go-Go’ (a version of a track on Ariel Pink’s forthcoming ‘Pom Pom’ album that Banks worked on with the LA oddball) she’s properly hit her stride. Here at last, ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ is a cascading flood of madcap imagination. Was it worth the wait? Just about."

Writing for Pitchfork, Craig Jenkins gave the album a score of 80, saying "More than three months after "212", her confrontationally profane third single from her debut, Azealia Banks has finally released her proper debut. It's all over the place, with tracks new and old and production that runs the gamut from Ariel Pink to Lone to AraabMuzik, and it functions as a sort of anthology, complete with flashes of brilliance."

## Singles

1. **Yung Rapunxel**: Released as the lead single on August 13th, 2013 along with a music video and a lyric video.
2. **Heavy Metal and Reflective**: Released as the second single on November 7th, 2013 along with a music video and a lyric video.
3. **212**: Featuring Lazy Jay, released as the third single on January 15th, 2014 along with a music video and a lyric video.
4. **Luxury**: Released as the fourth single on March 12th, 2014 along with a music video and a lyric video.
5. **Chasing Time**: Released as the fifth single on June 16th, 2014 along with a music video and a lyric video.
6. **Ice Princess**: Released as the sixth and final single on September 12th, 2014 along with a music video and a lyric video.

Yung RapunxelHeavy Metal and Reflective212 (feat. Lazy Jay)
## Track listing

* "\*" indicates a song that contains explicit lyrics or themes.

## Spotify streams

* "\*" indicates a song that contains explicit lyrics or themes.