Azealia Banks has apologised to Zayn Malik

In an open letter, which comes two months after she hit out at Zayn, 23, with a transphobic comment, Azealia said: "There are no words that can fully express how sorry I am. Recent events have taught me the importance of taking accountability for one's actions. I want and need to say I am sorry, I was wrong.

"I reached out, on Twitter, to congratulate you on leaving One Direction and finding your own path. Many artists sell their souls to this business and sacrifice their happiness for a career; walking away took bravery, strength, formidable principles and a powerful sense of self-worth. I applaud you for this. After my tweets, you tweeted something completely unrelated to me and I mistook it for a personal attack.

"This set me off and I began a reckless and unacceptable rant; but every cloud has a silver lining and what happened has taught me that not everything is about me and not everything is directed at me.

'Thank-you for teaching me this, it is a lesson that I desperately needed to learn. As a black woman, in America, I sometimes forget that there are words and comments that hurt other communities. At times, I am so consumed by my own struggle, and the struggle of my race, that I forget to consider the hardships other minorities continue to endure.

"Coming from an ethnicity that is largely discriminated against does not warrant a license to use derogatory, abusive terminology nor does it give me the right to make hurtful remarks. I apologise not only to you, Zayn, but to all those I hurt and offended.

"I am not cruel, nor am I heartless or vindictive. There is a lot of love in my heart and there is good in my soul. What I did was wrong and I am committed to becoming a better person."

In May Azealia was banned from a UK festival after launching an attack against Zayn on Twitter.

She wrote: "Keeping sucking this young rapunxel d**k u hairy curry scented b***h. Imma start calling you punjab you dirty b***h. You a d**k rider for real. Ride this d**k until the wheels fall off Punjab (sic)."

And in August she posted a collage of pictures of Zayn from his GQ magazine photoshoot on Instagram and wrote: "He legit looks like he used to be a girl. He gives me transman teas."

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old singer says she won't take legal action against Russell Crowe, following an alleged incident in the 52-year-old actor's hotel room in Beverly Hills at the weekend.

Although Azealia claims he "choked" her and "spat" at her before throwing her out of the room, she says she has decided not to take the matter further because she just wants to focus on her music and not let her career be overshadowed by scandal.

She told Us Weekly magazine: "Realistically, to be honest, I really don't want to. Because I just don't want this in the media. I want my music out. I just want to f***ing put my music out.

"I just want my music to shine. I don't want to be dealing with another episode, another thing, another whatever."