American rapper Azealia Banks is once again making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Known more for her unfiltered rants than her music these days, Banks has now stirred controversy by making transphobic and racially charged comments about BLACKPINK’s Lisa — just days after the Thai K-pop star’s Met Gala appearance.

Lisa, who walked the Met Gala red carpet on May 6 alongside fellow BLACKPINK members Jennie and Rosé, turned heads in a black Louis Vuitton ensemble. The look — elegant and edgy — featured a blazer, bodysuit, sheer stockings and pearls, with Lisa’s hair in a chic updo. But amid praise for her fashion statement, Banks took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “I’m sorry but this is giving ladyboy,” a derogatory term often used to target Southeast Asian transgender women.

Doubling down, Banks went on to make vile comments about Lisa’s physical features, saying she looked like “a man,” and even added, “It’s giving Adam’s apple and a not-so-taut tuck… I’m not walking that comment back.”

While fans across the globe condemned her for the offensive post, Indian and Southeast Asian netizens were especially furious, calling out the underlying racism and transphobia. “She’s clearly threatened by successful Asian women,” one user wrote. Another comment read, “This is no longer trolling — it’s a pattern of bullying and bigotry.”

This is not the first time Banks has targeted Lisa. In March, when asked about the K-pop star’s solo album Alter Ego, she scoffed, “I don’t listen to K-pop.” She then dismissed the genre altogether, calling it “garbage” and accusing K-pop artists of making poor copies of Black American hip-hop. She didn’t stop there — in April, she took aim at Lisa’s Coachella performance, calling it “overproduced” and “uninspired.”

Critics are now accusing Banks of harbouring deep-seated resentment toward Asian artists, with her repeated tirades labelled as both racist and xenophobic. Fans are demanding social media platforms take stronger action against such hate speech.