(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Azealia Banks claims she was "physically and verbally" abused by her mother.

The rap sensation opened up about her troubled childhood in a candid interview with Dazed & Confused magazine. She has explained how she was mistreated when she was growing up, causing her to leave home early.

The 212 star, who is making waves in the music industry for her edgy tracks, alleges her mother's volatile behaviour affected her badly and she feels she grew up without any parental guidance.

"After my dad died, my mom became really abusive - physically and verbally. Like she would hit me and my sisters with baseball bats, bang our heads up against walls, and she would always tell me I was ugly. I remember once she threw out all the food in the fridge, just so we wouldn't have anything to eat," she told Dazed & Confused. "It was like growing up a feral child, being raised by this person who was always yelling and screaming, hitting you and dragging you around and sh*t. Granted, she never had any drug or drinking problems - her house was clean, her hair was always done, and we had stuff - but she still f**ked me up real bad."

Azealia also spoke about her sexuality.

With the magazine cover banned in seven countries due to its provocative nature, showing Azealia blowing up a pink condom, it is perhaps unsurprising that the singer doesn't hold back in the accompanying interview.

"Growing up I was so curious about boys. I just loved them," she said. "I'd always get my recesses taken away for letting boys touch my butt in the lunch line. I got in trouble for fooling around in school a lot. I just wanted to be touched, ya know? I just wanted to have sex." (C) Cover Media