HOLY DAMN HELL I’m totally blown away by the new MIA album right now. I can’t stop listening to it, the twelve gems she dropped were totally worth the wait. The beats are amazing. It’s lyrically well written even through the definite anti-american overtones. The message is great but more than a scant hypocritical. At least her previous albums focused more on world politics, not those of a country she’s spent less than a quarter of her life in.
The marketing was absurd, especially for an artist that claims to be doing it for the music and not the money but I guess with coming to America she’s adopted capitolism like everybody else does. Seriously, how are you going to release a good chunk of your album in singles months before the actual album comes out and include lines like “shit is supposed to be free where’s Bob Marley?”
Also, in the first track “the message” the man speaking connects google and the internet to the government which is pretty bold for an artist making her primary income off of it. Without the internet she would be nothing besides Paper Planes, the radio doesn’t play her stuff. The only way people know about her is via the internet. She wouldn’t have money “not to talk about” without that. And the American audience she’s targeted.
That’s a funny thing about a lot of musicians that claim to be “underground”, they prey on self-hating Americans. They preach to the spoiled children that grow up with iPods and daddy’s credit cards who try to be political by trashing the country that made it possible for them to own iPods and their daddies to ruin their credit. Honestly if you don’t like it move back to Sri Lanka, I’m sure the political system is TONS better there…
Maybe I’ve turned into more of a redneck since I’ve lived in Texas but I really don’t think people truly appreciate the freedom we have here, especially when special exceptions have been made for them like miss M.I.A.. If she hates America so much and think Americans are so spoiled why does she preach a message aimed towards us? The popular vibe seems to be we’re not free even though we are free, that capitolism has ruined America, but capitolism is what bought her the Eurotrash outfits she wears.
OK now with that being said I’ve gotta give her props for calling it as she sees it, but at the same time she’s preying off the same freedom she claims America lacks. And at that, why the HELL is everybody so pissed off at America? What about CHINA? NORTH KOREA? IRAN? What about the true evils of the world? Sure we’ve committed our own share of crimes against humanity but at least we have red tape to go through to do it, that’s a lot more than you can say about a huge chunk of the rest of the wold. At least we don’t monitor the menstrual cycles of the women living here to make sure they’re not pregnant. At least the extent of our limitation on gay rights is basically superficial at this point, not life threatening like many other countries. If you don’t like it try moving to a country that will accept you without any education or proper job skills, see how you like it there and get back to me.
I definitely suggest pirating this album. It’s a must have for any MIA fan but the only people that actually feed into the bullshit message she’s trying to convey either need to come to America (LEGALLY) and see what it’s like or get off their social high horses and realize that the USofA really ain’t that bad.
Never heard of her (but then I listened to Paper Planes and realised that I know that!). Checked out her biography, because that sounded that sounded like a London accent to me. I wasn’t wrong then – born in London, dragged around Sri Lanka and then went to university in London. Sri Lankan my arse – she’s a cockney!
yeah that’s my main issue with her, my understanding is she wasn’t even allowed in the United States because her father’s affiliation with terrorism until Timbaland worked some deal to negotiate her coming to America then she disrespects our country. It’s like telling someone “no, I don’t think you need to be coming into my house. I don’t trust you.” then a mutual friend talks you into letting them in and as soon as you do they piss directly on the rug. And yeah, she’s veeeeeeeeery cockney.
So a couple of weeks ago, on our 25th anniversary picnic, my friend Sukey mentioned that she was at art college with MIA. She didn’t have a high opinion of her…….