RZA Defends Russell Crowe, Slams Azealia Banks’ Claims in Facebook Post

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Rapper-turned-actor RZA is speaking out after Azealia Banks accused Russell Crowe of assaulting her and kicking her out of his Beverly Hills Hotel suite on Saturday, which sources close to the actor have denied.

The Wu-Tang Clan alum brought Banks to the intimate dinner party thrown by Crowe as his plus-one. Banks has filed a police report, claiming she was “spat on, choked, thrown out of a room, and called a ‘n—–’ ” at the party. However, RZA, who has given a statement to authorities, took to Facebook on Thursday to detail his account of the evening — and his relationship with the controversial rapper.

RZA wrote that he flew the “212” rapper out to Los Angeles for work and invited her to Crowe’s party where she began acting erratically.

“Before the night is over Azealia is insulting half the room she becomes loud and obnoxious,” RZA wrote in the post. “There was nothing funny about her behavior. I felt a little embarrassed because she was my guest.”

He said Banks’ alleged verbal attacks then turned physical.

“Azealia threaten (sic) to cut a girl in the face with a glass, then actually grabs a glass and physically attacks for no logical reason. Russell blocked the attack and expelled her from the suite,” the director continued.

“Seeing is believing and I saw her behave as an obnoxious erratic individual and in the circles I frequent this was unprecedented. I was totally puzzled by her and thought maybe meds or booze or something had her zoned out. Nevertheless I made sure she got home safe.”

According to reports, Banks was among 10 guests joining Crowe for the intimate party. And a source close to the situation told PEOPLE that Crowe never called Banks the N-word.

“Per all of the witnesses, her erratic behavior and abusive language scared everyone there,” the source said. “No one called her the N-word. She was yelling the N-word at everyone else.”

“Russell behaved like a hero,” the source continued. “He acted in defense of his guests and removed her from his suite by putting her in a bear hug and picking her up.”

However, Banks’ manager Raýmani Zaloumis-Steele told PEOPLE exclusively on Monday that Banks did not start the altercation.

“Azealia is not the aggressor in this situation. All of that is fictitious,” Zaloumis-Steele said. “We will tell our side, which is the truth. We have all our bases covered.”

A rep for Crowe has not commented. Other reported witnesses to the altercation have not returned requests for comment.

Banks has found herself at odds with stars like Zayn Malik, Sarah Palin and Disney Channel actress Skai Jackson. And RZA wrote that he had “heard the rumors of her problems in the industry but disregarded them with the rationality everyone is innocent until proven guilty.”

“My art, talent and success speaks for it self and Azealia’s recent slander of me and self victimization reflect’s (sic) the personality of the person that was in that room that night,” RZA wrote.

Crowe is no stranger to controversy either. Crowe was arrested in 2005 after striking a desk clerk with a phone.

This article first appeared on People.com

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