‘Dope stuff’: Aussie rapper tops US charts
Far from her beginnings in a tiny Australian town, rapper Iggy Azalea has joined The Beatles in the music record books. Azalea holds the top two spots of the notoriously tough-to-crack Billboard Hot 100. Her hit “Fancy” is at the number one spot and her collaboration with Ariana Grande “Problem” is second.
The rapper, who was born in Mullumbimby in NSW, has found massive success in the states, but has yet to be widely recognised at home. However, the chart topping win, which puts her with The Beatles as the only other artist whose first two chart entries have ranked number one and two at the same time, could change that.
Azalea also attracted attention in Australia after her botched appearance on the US version of Dancing with the Stars, when she was forced to remove a malfunctioning earpiece mid-performance. The 24-year-old took to social media to voice her excitement over the achievement saying “let this serve as proof anything is possible”.
So let this serve as proof anything is possible & I hope we see more female rappers new and established in the charts. Dope stuff, thanks! — IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) May 28, 2014
Well I’m very pleased, last year seemed impossible to convince anyone in the music business I could break into the top 100. Haha. — IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) May 28, 2014
The music industry also tweeted their congratulations.
.@IggyAzalea joins @TheBeatles as the only artists to rank Nos. 1 & 2 simultaneously with their first 2 #Hot100 hits: http://t.co/YuTyUNQGQ2 — billboard (@billboard) May 28, 2014
Congrats @IGGYAZALEA on “Fancy” reaching #1 on @billboard Hot 100! #DefJam pic.twitter.com/MhxeWRIWO6 — Def Jam Recordings (@DefJamRecords) May 28, 2014
Azalea, real name Amethyst Amelia Kelly, moved to the United States when she was 16 to pursue her music career, first living in Miami, Florida. Her career took off when her controversial songs “Pu$$y” and “Two Times” went viral on YouTube in 2011. Watch “Fancy” here (explicit language warning!):