Azealia Banks’ “Yung Rapunxel” Gets A Release Date: To Celebrate, Listen To Her Cover The Strokes

Azealia Banks‘ Broke with Expensive Taste has been so hyped up and so delayed that the natural assumption now is that the album is a dud. This is based on no actual knowledge of the record, of course; it’s just how the buzz cycle works. Based on her “Harlem Shake” remix and a cover she dropped today (and everything else we’ve heard from her ever), we think it’ll be just fine. And soon we’ll have a better idea: the Harlem rapper announced today (February 28) that the album’s lead single, “Yung Rapunxel,” will drop on March 26. And she added: “THE LABEL IS FINALLY GOING TO LET ME OUT OF MY CAGE! RAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH.”

To celebrate — or, just because — Banks unveiled her cover of The Strokes‘ “Barely Legal.” That’s right, cover, not remix, which means it’s all singing, no rapping. Banks swapped out the lo-fi guitars for her usual lo-fi, bordering-on-seapunk electro blips, and replaced the original’s garage band snarl with her effervescent singing voice. Hear the reworked song below.

Azealia Banks — “Barely Legal” (The Strokes cover)

By the way, this isn’t Azealia’s first time covering a stylish New York City rock band: her woozy take on Interpol‘s “Slow Hands” has been on the interwebs for a few years. Plus, in December, she said she was going to take voice lessons and that she doesn’t expect to remain a rapper forever.

What do you think of her Strokes cover? Hit us up below with your thoughts, or let us know on Facebook and Twitter!