Broke With Expensive Taste hit iTunes with little warning

Azealia Banks’ debut album, Broke With Expensive Taste, is sort of like the Loch Ness Monster of hip-hop: few expected it would show itself in this lifetime. But after years of delays and label disputes and her own trash-talking, it seems the “212” rapper has some news for ye-of-little-faith: the 16-song set is now available for purchase on iTunes.

The move recalls Beyoncé’s surprise release of her self-titled visual album last December, though Banks fans got a bit more of a heads up than Mrs. Carter’s followers, when Banks hinted Tuesday at a “magic trick” on Twitter. And while setting herself up for inevitable Beyoncé comparisons might be a risky move for an artist with just an EP and a mixtape to her name, Banks didn’t have much to lose, either. Despite some promising signs of progress, like “Heavy Metal and Reflective,” the record became more of a joke with each passing day. This way, she’s cutting her losses — Banks finally put her money where her mouth is.