In My Defense

In early 2016, Azalea released "Team",[4] the intended lead single from her second studio album, then titled Digital Distortion. Several other songs were released throughout 2016, 2017 and 2018, including the singles "Mo Bounce", "Switch" and "Savior". In late 2017, Azalea announced that the album had been shelved completely because of her ex-fiancé basketball player Nick Young cheating on her[5][6] and she was working on a new record. Shortly afterwards, it was announced that she had signed to Island Records. In My Defense sold 17,000 units in its first week. In mid-2018, Azalea released the extended play Survive the Summer, which includes the RIAA-certified single, "Kream", featuring Tyga.[7] Several months after the EP's release, Azalea announced she had left Island Records and had become an independent unsigned artist.

In August 2018, Azalea expressed her anticipation to record her album on Twitter.[8] In November, Azalea signed a multi-million dollar distribution deal with Empire[9] after her departure from Island Records.[10][11][12][13] In February 2019, Azalea announced the first single release, "Sally Walker". The single was released on 15 March 2019.[14][15] The second single "Started" was released along with its music video on 3 May 2019.[16] Azalea also teased an upcoming collaboration with Brazilian drag queen Pabllo Vittar on Twitter. On 28 June 2019, "Just Wanna" was released as a promotional single along with the album pre-order.

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	39/100[17]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[18]
Clash	5/10[19]
HipHopDX	[20]
Idolator	[21]
Pitchfork	3.8/10[22]
New Zealand Herald	[23]
Tom Hull – on the Web	B+ ()[24]

In My Defense was met with generally negative reviews. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 39 out of 100, based on four reviews.[17] Album of the Year assessed the critical consensus as a 42 out of 100.[25]

Mike Neid of Idolator stated "It's raucous and unrepentant fun. A comedown would only provide a little more depth."[21] Craig Jenkins of Vulture stated "In My Defense is a funny follow-up to the frustrations of the Digital Distortion era because the title and cover art are ruses... It's an improvement over last year's EP [Survive the Summer]. Iggy Azalea seems to be in control of her career for the first time in a long time. Not everyone in the game can say the same."[26] Nicolas Tyrell of Clash magazine praised her overall improvement, "Azalea has improved in both her flow and story-telling in her time away from the mainstream", but noted the album as a whole is "delivered as a project that she thinks that we want to hear, as opposed to what is truly on her mind".[19] Tom Hull applauded the rapper for "doubl[ing] down on her hard edge here".[24]

In a negative review, Pitchfork's Dani Blum wrote "The album is stacked with cartoonish approximations of what she thinks a rap song should sound like: shivers of bass, the occasional 'skrrrt,' Mad Libs of designer brands and bodily fluids. Many sound like direct imitations of the rappers she admires," and critiques the album as a whole to be "Iggy cram[ming] her songs with one-liners that sound like branded Instagram captions". He praised "Sally Walker" as the best song on the album; however, describing "Freak of the Week" as "a rejected track by Megan Thee Stallion".[22]

All tracks produced by J. White Did It, except where noted.

Samples

• "Freak of the Week" contains elements of "Slob on My Knob" by Tear Da Club Up Thugs, written by Jordan Houston and Paul Beauregard.[27]
• "Just Wanna" contains elements of "Push It" by Salt-N-Pepa.

Credits adapted from Tidal.[28]

Technical

• AJ Putman – vocal engineering (tracks 1-7, 9-12)
• Mac Attkisson – vocal engineering (tracks 1, 11)
• Vekz Madison – vocal engineering (tracks 8-9)
• Chris Davis – vocal engineering (track 8)
• Evan LaRay – mixing (tracks 1-9, 11-12)
• Leslie Brathwaite – mixing (track 10)

Artwork

• Annie Madison – graphic design
• Thom Kerr – photography