Iggy Azalea’s “In My Defense”: a Waste of a Comeback

Iggy Azalea. Photo by Brian Patterson/REX/Shutterstock (8872213l)

Iggy Azalea’s latest album In My Defense just landed and it’s not a complete disaster, but it’s nothing special either.

The record is Azalea’s first album in five years. Being her first album released on her independent record label, the stakes were high. As an artist, she has also placed herself in a position of controversy over the years. She has gone up against Snoop Dog, Halsey and recently threatened to turn the beloved children’s character Peppa Pig into breakfast.

Given her tendency to fire shots and stir things up, it’s surprising how little her album attempts to break the mold. The music is thin and the rapping is mediocre at best. She spends the majority of the album telling her haters that she is not sorry. Regarding accusations of Azalea culturally appropriating, she says: “Because I talk like this and my ass fat / They be saying Iggy tryna act black” before reminding people that she won’t say sorry because “f**k that s**t”.

What is disappointing is that Azalea’s comeback album could have been an opportunity for her to make amends for her controversial comments and actions over the years. Instead, in “Sally Walker” she raps: “Probably mad ’cause you ain’t in my tax bracket / You bitches is broker than glass crackin'” throwing shade at the general public. In “Spend It”, she sings: “I’m super-paid, I’m Gucci” and sure, this kind of boasting is not unusual for rap, but in Azalea’s case, this flexing seems a little unnecessary.

Still, it seems unfair to judge Azalea’s album solely on what she could have done. “Started” is undeniably a banger and is an anthem of Azalea’s journey from the bottom to the top five years back. Unfortunately, the rest of the record falls short and resorts to weak rhymes and dull beats. There is ultimately nothing to get particularly excited about musically or lyrically on the album.

To sum up, In My Defense is a marginally shy of mediocre. There is no hope that the album will make it into the Top 40 and the lyrics are not only weak but a little disrespectful considering the accusations of cultural appropriation that have been raised. A disappointing comeback album which reminds us why Iggy’s days in the limelight are over.

2/5