The dreaded “sophomore slump” – the career hurdle that’s caused the fall of a number of music history’s most promising acts – currently stands to add Grammy-nominated rapstress Iggy Azalea to its lengthy list of casualties.
Azalea, who didn’t exactly experience “overnight success” in her transition from virtual unknown to one of rap’s leading ladies, did see her career go from 0-100 (real quick) after her participation on Ariana Grande‘s horn-filled hit ‘Problem’ and the release of her own history-making single ‘Fancy.’ But, with the triumphs of both singles came the real “problem“: replicating their successes.
The endeavor would be doused with degrees of difficulty as the saucy Aussie’s public profile rang as the exact antithesis of her Billboard chart story. Indeed, fielding attacks from the likes of Nicki Minaj, Q-Tip, Azealia Banks, Snoop Dogg, and even fellow Caucasian rappers Eminem and Macklemore, the court of public opinion joined them in finding Azalea guilty of cultural misappropriation and inauthenticity. The effects of the verdict would be manifested in poor ticket sales for her headlining arena tour and fuel its cancellation (reportedly due to shifting focus to her debut album’s follow-up).
That follow-up, titled ‘Digital Distortion,’ found its kick-off via the bumping bop ‘Team’:
Even garnering a head bob from the staunchest of Iggy-haters, ‘Team’ initially showed great promise after its first set of promo rounds hoisted it to a #42 debut. Unknown to fans at the time, that was the good and the bad of it.
Dropping to #71 the next week, tune quickly slipped out of the Hot 100 after that. To add, despite ongoing promotional efforts on major networks and venues as recent as mid-June to support ‘Team,’ it appears its days of Hot 100 play are finished.
What went wrong? Is the backlash against the rapper so strong that no matter what or how good her product, she’ll still be disregarded? Or, was ‘Team’ simply the wrong song to silence the haters?
You tell us: what caused the failure of ‘Team’?
Flop!
Said sorry on the charts
Last I checked “Sorry” charted much higher than “Team”…. Don’t be mad at me because she not doing this time around!
@Beystan, DRAG HA!
Racist blacks were her issue
She got too confident too quickly. She shouldv played the Taylor Swift
Molly’s old fave sis
Girl you’re really serving rihnavy 2.0 Ts with the way you mention my name/fav in every post…. #IAintThinkinBoutYou
@Cheryl, Kiii
Tràmp shut up you sta for the biggest flop in uk music history cheryl album sales literally decline every era she went from triple platinum to platinum to gold to silver lol
Then y u in my dms 24/7 begging for forgiveness? Kiiiiii
The Hip Hop world would not have accepted her to be an “Oh my god, I’m winning again and again” type facade though. You must be confident and own yourself in like 95% of Hip Hop acts.
You should played “let’s run in the street during rush hour” but you didn’t 🙁
@Chun-Li
F*** with dozens of men and then write songs bout them, while still playing the nice blond-Girl-nett-door card?
I really enjoyed “Team,” I thought it was a good song. The promotion was pretty wide and spread, I mean she did Ellen and Jimmy Fallon.
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So within this case it would probably have to be product. The song would have been more suited as an album cut than a 1st single. The “Back That A** Up” interpolation was a good inclusion though. Figured it would make DJs mix the songs at clubs/bars.
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That all being said, we should realize that Iggy had multiple singles out from ‘The New Classic’ before “Fancy” stuck and it got a release date. So I think Def Jam should just continue and release the second single. Don’t lose these precious summer months where a song could easily pop for her, especially when summer was so good to Iggy in 2014! I’m ready for it, lets go Iggz!
She’s done. Her career was destroyed.
just like Ciara sis?
Lol.
She needs to go more pop like a kesha she’d probably succeed more.
Where’s that navy f** that said this flop ass h** was going to end Queenika? I’m still saying b**** where? Point me to that direction, h**?
And I’m here, B*TCH, so what’s up?!
Flopnika is done trámp the flop print stalled at 682k it only went multi-platinum due to streaming the píss print tour was a flop she waa struggling to sell out ampitheaters and her star has fallen she isnt popular like she used to be
@music the pink print tour sold out worldwide babe.
Ok here’s the issue. She was authentic during her mixtape days. I feel she had truly embraced the urban culture & the black community was actually welcoming at that time. It sounds weird but her label white washed her. They seem a coin opportunity and they took her authenticity away from her. Her label robbed her. If she had if stayed the c*** bad bish white girl, her stuff would’ve still sold EASILY. Nicki minaj has all age and race groups behind her. This woulda been nothing for iggy to accomplish.
And nobody about to read all that @Rosie
Lol. Her label “whitewashed” her? As if she wasn’t whitewashed enough on her own.
June 28, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Molly says:
+1
-1
Vote
Girl you’re really serving rihnavy 2.0 Ts with the way you mention my name/fav in every post…. #IAintThinkinBoutYou
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…wottice? You are OBSESSEDT with me sis, SEEK HELP. I heard Mount Sinai hospital has some open beds and bed pans still available if you hurry.
Iggy been a flop
A cheryl fan cannot come for anybody not when cheryl is the biggest joke in the uk
No shade but Iggy time is just up is all.
She basically the female version of Mackelmore.
And lil wayne is the female version of tyrone biggumd
And lil wayne is the female version of tyrone biggums
That was fuckedyp what that guy did to her though.
Iggy dug her on grave. Nor her team because I think they push the hell out of her last era. But her mouth is what set her back. Does she even mingle with her peers? (Other rappers) it’s like coming into someones home and not speaking. Who the f*** are you? I think her career is over. I doubt if she has another talent so she better start investing.
Never got the hype with her, she’s not even hot or pretty, Nicki and Azealia are superior in everything, girl bye, you won’t be missed.
Wow you made a comment I can agree with for once!
As far as “Team”, the issue actually wasn’t in the product, nor its promotion. The song, in my opinion, was a strong choice of single to launch Digital Distortion. She booked a slew of major platforms to promote the song and it had a solid recipe for success. The issue lies in her tainted public image. The industry, on a business front, doesn’t seem to have any major issue with her, probably due to her marketability and past success, but the majority of the general public is over her and her antics. I personally like Iggy. Not the best, but definitely not the worst. Unfortunately for her, I think her former “Team’s”lack of guidance and the lack of media training has damaged her career to extreme lengths. She needs to consider redefining her public image and likability, and revisit the music once she has changed some minds.
What a well thought out and smart response. I enjoyed reading. I too like her and don’t think she is the best but certainly not the worst.
One day Iggy and Waclemore is taking over hip hop and the next day they’re flopping and gone. lol What short careers.
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“The album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200, with 61,000 equivalent album units; it sold 51,000 copies in its first week in the United States.[21] The album debuted at number one on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The album dropped to number 31 in its second week on the Billboard 200.” -Wiki o Wackie’s album
It’s mitt product not promotion. She’s done. At FIRST black people were f****** with her. Then it’s like someone said above she let her label aka WHITE PEOPLE ruin her craft. They snatched the culture from her sound. When she first popped she was hot I must admit I fell in love. But then she just ruined it with inauthentic ways. The accent, the outfits, the twerking, and then the tweets just ended it all.
Why is it cultural appropriation for White people to rap but not when Black people rock out using a guitar, or play the piano?
1. Nobody said she was appropriating black culture by ‘rapping’ alone. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that she is originally from Australia with an aussie accent but raps with a stereotypical southern voice. Or the fact that she refers to herself as a ‘Slavemaster’
2. Rock was not spearheaded by white people, you idiot. Rock originated from African American blues, country, and folk. White people were the ones that appropriated Rock from Black people in the first place.
Azillion was better tbh. It would have slayed. It was the product.
Wow