Rapper Iggy Azalea has making waves in the music business for what seems like ages now, actually it’s only just under two years since she released her Glory EP. Now Iggy's finally unleashed her debut album the modestly entitled The New Classic and she's looking to break into the mainstream once and for all. Surely there’s got to be a market for a blonde Australian female rapper?

Iggy AzaleaAre you ready for The New Classic from Iggy Azalea?

Born Amethyst Amelia Kelly in Sydney Australia, the single ‘Work’, which features on The New Classic, probably gives the best account of Iggy’s journey to America to find fame as a rapper. But to summarise, growing up in New South Wales, where her family relocated after her birth, Iggy felt like an outsider in her small town thanks to her love of hip hop and rap music. At sixteen, the aspiring MC decided to make the move to America to pursue her dream, arriving in Miami by herself after telling her parents she was going on holiday.

Taking her stage name from the moniker of her childhood dog, Iggy, and the street she grew up in, Azalea, she bounced from Miami to Houston then Atlanta before settling in Los Angeles to further her career. In 2011 the then 21 year old began gaining attention on the rap scene thanks to the video for her song ‘Pu$$y’, which she uploaded to YouTube. She then released a mixtape entitled Ignorant Art, featuring nine songs including ‘My World’, the video to which brought her further attention on Youtube. Around the same time Iggy found herself a mentor in rapper T.I. whom she would begin collaborating with.

Iggy AzaleaIggy performing in California earlier this month

In July 2012 Iggy released the E.P. Glory on T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records. The six track EP featured single ‘Murda Bizness’ the excellent video sees Iggy and T.I. as ruthless parents to ambitious beauty patent children, and drew inspiration from the reality series ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’. While waiting on the release of her debut album, which seemed to constantly be encountering delays, Azalea took to the road supporting Rita Ora twice, first on her mini North American tour and then on her UK Radioactive tour. In March 2013, her debut single ‘Work’ was released over a year before her album’s due date. It was then followed by the more electronic, dance leaning ‘Bounce’. In late 2013 she also served as the opening act on the Australian leg of Beyonce’s Mrs Carter world tour.

The next release for Azalea was ‘Fancy’ her third single from the upcoming debut. Featuring British singer Charlie XCX, ‘Fancy’s’ video served as a fitting homage to 90s movie Clueless, as Iggy portrayed Cher Horowitz rapping down the corridors of Beverly Hills High. The single became her first song to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK it took 5th place in the official single's chart.

Watch the Cluless inspired video for 'Fancy':

After three singles, two mix tapes and 10 music videos Iggy finally release The New Classic this week. Early reviews of the record are ranging from mixed to positive, with The Guardian saying, “Azalea's flow is both playful and authoritative”, while Rolling Stone chose to write “If this is the future, it's one strange place.” For Iggy, any negativity is unlike to phase a girl who moved to America  alone at 16 to fulfil her dream. She’s already called the album’s release, “one of the best days of my life” on Twitter. Whether or not her particular brand of pop and dance infused rap is your thing, Iggy Azalea is undeniably here to stay and really, we might be better off for having her.

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