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In a wide-ranging interview with Billboard magazine released Friday, Kendrick Lamar gave his opinion on Ferguson, Missouri teenager Michael Brown, who died on August 9, 2014 after being shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. When a jury subsequently did not indict Wilson, questions about the perceived inequalities of America’s justice system sparked protests and civil unrest.

“What happened to [Michael Brown] should’ve never happened,” Kendrick said. “Never. But when we don’t have respect for ourselves, how do we expect them to respect us?”

Kendrick Lamar’s statements were met with a significant wave of backlash, with both fans and critics questioning his line of reasoning. Chief among the dissenters was outspoken Harlem rapper Azealia Banks, who responded with a series of tweets. Among the comments in Banks’ 10-tweet response was her assertion that Kendrick’s comments were the “dumbest shit I’ve ever heard a black man say.” Banks also raised the issues of cultural indoctrination and reparations.

In December of 2014, Azealia Banks was similarly outspoken on the issue of race relations in America with Hot 97. She accused Iggy Azalea of cultural appropriation and referred to T.I. as “a coon.” Kendrick Lamar, whose upcoming album is expected during the first half of 2015, has yet to reply to the backlash from his Billboard comments. You can read all of Azealia Banks’ tweets below.

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