Iggy Azalea is an ex-Australian songwriter and rapper born in Sydney, Australia, who performed mainly in the United States of America. At 16, she moved to the U.S to pursue a music career. She became famous after releasing the music videos for her songs “Pussy” and “Two Times.”
In 2014, Iggy Azalea made history by becoming the first non-American female rapper to top the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, while simultaneously holding the #1 and #2 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 – a feat previously accomplished only by The Beatles.
Despite achieving what most considered impossible for a non-American female artist, this blonde rapper remains one of the most prominent and controversial figures in modern hip-hop history. Read this article to learn more interesting facts and details about Iggy Azalea.
Who is Iggy Azalea? (Quick Facts)
Full Name
Amethyst Amelia Kelly
Stage Name
Iggy Azalea
Date of Birth
June 7, 1990
Age (as of 2025)
35 years old
Birth Place
Sydney, Australia
Gender
Female
Father
Brendan Kelly
Mother
Tanya Kelly
Siblings
Emerald Kelly, Mathias Kelly
Nationality
Australian
Zodiac Sign
Gemini
Height
5’10” (178 cm)
Profession
Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Model
Years Active
2011–2024 (retired)
Record Labels
Grand Hustle, Island, Bad Dreams
Net Worth
$20 million (estimated)
Children
1 son (Onyx)
Early Life and Background
Iggy Azalea was born Amethyst Amelia Kelly on June 7, 1990, in Sydney, Australia, but grew up in Mullumbimby, a small, rural town in New South Wales with a population of over 3,000 people. Her father, Brendan Kelly, was a painter and comic artist, while her mother, Tanya, cleaned holiday houses and hotels. The family lived in a unique mud-brick house that her father built by hand.
While she was yet a teenager, her father, Brendan, encouraged her to try a career in fine arts. From an early age, Azalea felt like an outsider in her community. She developed a passion for hip-hop music at just 11 years old after hearing Tupac Shakur’s “Baby Don’t Cry,” and began rapping at 14. Her music influences include Tupac, Missy Elliot, Beyoncé, Lil’ Kim, and Busta Rhymes.
She initially formed a girl group inspired by TLC, but soon went solo when she felt her bandmates weren’t taking music seriously enough. Being far from where her favorite artists were based made her feel isolated, so she used the internet to bridge the gap with the hip-hop community. She became friends with a teenager from the Bahamas named Derek, whom she met online and started sharing her rap songs and freestyles for his feedback.
She hated school because she was often ridiculed and mocked for her homemade outfits. Determined to pursue her dreams, Azalea dropped out of high school at 15 and worked cleaning hotels with her mother to save money.
In 2006, shortly before her 16th birthday, she traveled to the United States (staying with Derek) under the pretense of a holiday but ultimately decided to stay permanently to pursue her music career, telling her parents she wouldn’t be returning to Australia. For six years, Iggy worked illegally in America without a work visa.
Her professional journey began in earnest after she settled in the United States, moving through Miami and Houston before establishing herself in Atlanta’s hip-hop scene. She adopted her stage name from her childhood dog, Iggy, and her family’s street, Azalea Street.
She began working with Backbone, a member of the Atlanta-based Dungeon Family hip-hop music group. It was during this time she met with FKi and Natalie Sims, who she would later work with in the future.
The breakthrough came with her 2011 mixtape Ignorant Art and its viral music videos. This led to her being featured on XXL magazine’s prestigious “Freshman Class” cover in 2012, making her the first non-American and first female rapper to receive this honor. She soon signed with rapper T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records and was set to release her debut studio album titled “The New Classic,” but the album was delayed after Interscope Records objected to T.I.’s involvement in the project. The album was later released in April 2014 under Def Jam Recordings.
Her major mainstream success arrived with her debut studio album, The New Classic (2014), which earned her multiple awards and nominations, including 4 Grammy Award nominations. The album spawned the global smash “Fancy” (featuring Charli XCX), which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Simultaneously, her feature on Ariana Grande’s “Problem” held the #2 spot, making Azalea the first artist since The Beatles to occupy the top two positions with her first two chart entries.
This period also included other major hits like “Work” and “Black Widow” (featuring Rita Ora), multiple Grammy nominations, and performances on major tours, including opening for Beyoncé.
Another music album, “Digital Distortion,” was scheduled for release in July 216 but was postponed to 2017 after a breakup with longtime boyfriend Nick Young.
After label disputes, Azalea transitioned to independence, founding her own label, Bad Dreams Records. She released subsequent projects like In My Defense (2019) and The End of an Era (2021) on her own terms. In 2024, she announced her retirement from music to focus on business ventures and other creative pursuits.
Despite her Australian origins, Azalea raps with a pronounced Southern American accent, a stylistic choice she attributes to her formative years immersed in the hip-hop scenes of Miami and Atlanta. Her music is primarily electro-hop, blending hip-hop with electronic dance music and pop sensibilities.
Azalea is renowned for her high-concept, cinematic music videos that frequently pay homage to 1990s pop culture. Some key examples include:
“Fancy” inspired by the film Clueless
“Black Widow” inspired by Kill Bill
“Work” inspired by Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
She has often directed her own videos, and over time, visual storytelling has remained a core component of her art.
Her career has been consistently accompanied by accusations of cultural appropriation. Critics have questioned her use of African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) and a “blaccent,” with some comparisons to modern-day blackface.
Azalea has defended her artistic choices, stating she is not “trying to sound Black” but rather reflecting the American musical environment that shaped her. These debates reached a peak during the height of her fame in 2014-2015 and have resurfaced periodically throughout her career.
Iggy Azalea’s profile is marked by several high-profile relationships, including romantic history with notable figures such as A$AP Rocky, Nick Young, and Playboi Carti.
Her first public relationship (between 2011 to 2012) with A$AP Rocky, a fellow rapper, was intense but short-lived. She famously got his mixtape title “Live. Love. A$AP” tattooed on her fingers, but later altered it after their breakup.
She also had a lengthy relationship with Nick Young, an NBA and Los Angeles Lakers basketball player. They lived together in Tarzana, California, and were featured in the MArchi 2014 edition of GQ magazine. The duo became engaged in June 2015, but the engagement ended a year later after a video surfaced showing Young admitting to infidelity
Iggy briefly dated French Montana in 2016, but her most significant relationship, the one with whom she had her son, was with Playboi Carti. They started dating in 2018 but ended acrimoniously in December 2019 when after Azalea discovered his infidelity and that he was not present for their son’s birth.
In June 2020, Azalea announced the birth of her son, Onyx. She has been open about raising him as a single parent, stating in 2024 that she is “very much the only parent” to the child.
Azalea has been unusually candid about personal matters, including publicly discussing her breast augmentation and rhinoplasty. She has explained these decisions as part of an “emotional journey” toward self-acceptance. In 2018, she became a permanent resident of the United States.
Iggy Azalea Net Worth
Iggy Azalea has an estimated net worth of $20 million. She has built a substantial financial empire through her music career and other savvy business ventures. Music remains the cornerstone of her wealth. She made money from album sales, streaming royalties, touring, and lucrative featuring deals, particularly during her peak years (2014-2015) as an artist.
In 2022, she sold a significant portion of her music catalog to Domain Capital in an eight-figure deal, securing a major financial payout for her past work. Beyond music, Azalea has diversified her portfolio significantly by partnering with fashion brands and signing lucrative contracts as the face of major brands like Levi’s and Steve Madden.
She founded Azalea Street Productions, which signed a development deal with NBCUniversal to create television and film content. Most recently, she launched $MOTHER, a memecoin on the Solana blockchain, and has been involved in ventures like the telecommunication service Unreal Mobile.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Iggy Azalea’s real name?
Her real name is Amethyst Amelia Kelly.
Where is she from originally?
She was born in Sydney, Australia, and grew up in Mullumbimby, New South Wales.
What are her biggest hits?
Her biggest hits include “Fancy” (featuring Charli XCX), “Problem” (with Ariana Grande), “Black Widow” (featuring Rita Ora), and “Work.”
Why has she been controversial?
Iggy has been controversial primarily due to accusations of cultural appropriation for rapping with a Southern American accent as a white Australian artist.
Is she still making music?
Iggy Azalea announced her retirement from music in 2024 to focus on business ventures and other creative projects.
Who did Iggy Azalea have a kid with?
She had her son, Onyx, with American rapper Playboi Carti in 2020.
Is Iggy Azalea white?
Yes, she is of white ethnicity and has mentioned having some Aboriginal Australian ancestry through her family lineage.
Why did Iggy Azalea retire?
She stated she felt “more passionately about design and creative direction” than songwriting and wanted to focus on other business ventures.
What condition does Iggy Azalea have?
She has a chronic wound on her leg following an infection, which she has mentioned managing.
What plastic surgery did Iggy Azalea get?
She has been open about undergoing breast augmentation and rhinoplasty (nose job), discussing both procedures publicly.
How much did Iggy Azalea make on OnlyFans?
While exact figures aren’t public, she joined OnlyFans in 2023 to promote her music, but specific earnings from the platform haven’t been disclosed.
Who is the highest-paid OnlyFans creator?
While rankings change frequently, some of the highest-earning creators have included Blac Chyna, Bryce Adams, and Bella Thorne.
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