(Photos: Elle Magazine)

Azealia Banks has landed in Elle's Women in Music 2012 alongside Lana Del Rey, Santigold, Kelly Clarkson and Shirley Manson of rock band Garbage. In the photo spread, the London-based Harlem native talks about her hot song "212," which she released via YouTube last September, how she responds to the haters and her thoughts on fashion and beauty.
Banks poses in a Moschino wool matador hat and a custom latex dress with Mickey Mouse's face emblazoned on the front, similar to the acrylic sweater she sports in her video.
"'212' is arrogant and fashion is arrogant," Banks says. "Selling beauty means convincing people that you have something they want."
As for how she answers to criticisms about how she got her DIY shot at stardom: "People say, 'You just got famous on YouTube.’ I’m like, 'So? You didn’t get famous anywhere.'"
Soon Banks will have much more to show for her talent: the 20-year-old rapper has signed with Interscope Records and will be working with producer Paul Epworth (who won four Grammys for Adele's sophomore album 21) on her major label debut set to be released in September.
Elle's Women in Music 2012 May issue hits newsstands April 17.
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