Star-finding, trailblazing, observing, discovering, learning and most of all, encouraging and urging the female pursuit of traditionally male academic fields of study...and some other things as well.
Hairs were raised on the blades of my shoulders as I watched this utterly brilliant feminist rebellion from one of my favourite women - M.I.A. God bless her for her creative and courageous life-force. She is a voice that shan't be removed. The music biz would be so much drier without this marvellous Sri Lankan lady.
The originality she brings to her music, the swag with which she carries herself and that unsmiling gorgeous brown face of hers are really something to be reckoned with. She represents true artistry in my books and this is one reason I fell in love with her sound and vibe the moment I laid my eyes on that 'Paper Planes' video in 2008. Always excited to see what there is to come from this one.
Just finished watching the video for "Born Free", I see no reason why it should have been pulled off of Youtube a month ago. Yes there were graphic depictions of violence but here's an interesting comment I agree with which I found under the comments of this video:
so it's alright for music videos of girls dancing naked and exploiting themselves to be up on youtube rather than a video with actual substance and a message that's worth watching? idiots.
That's an excellent point to raise in the midst of all this. Vulgar depictions of misogyny - which is also hateful toward a certain demographic i.e. the female population is tolerable whilst violent imagery serving to make a statement about the insanity of war and ethnic genocide in this world should be banned.
It reminds me of several years ago when FCC fined Sarah Jones on indecency charges for the lyrics to her spoken word poem, "Your Revolution" which was an anti-sexism, anti-misogynistic war-cry. Funny the FCC chose to avoid all those rappers out there spitting vulgar lyrics about their sexual conquests with women when a woman who is simply speaking up against what she sees as derogatory should be charged. Interesting. The lawsuit was dropped eventually. Should have never been taken up in the first place. But it goes to show how selective censorship boards are. They don't really aim to censor what is considered immoral or indecent. They aim to censor instead what messages they do not want the public hearing because they're afraid of an enlightened masses, a know-better-than-that masses that begins to wake up from their government and media-induced coma. I am reminded of those stunning lyrics from Lupe's classic "Dumb it Down":
You've been shedding too much light Lu (Dumb it down)
You make'em wanna do right Lu (Dumb it down)
They're getting self-esteem Lu (Dumb it down)
These girls are trying to be queens Lu (Dumb it down)
They're trying to graduate from school Lu (Dumb it down)
They're starting to think that smart is cool Lu (Dumb it down)
They're trying to get up out the hood Lu (Dumb it down)
I'll tell you what you should do (Dumb it down)
Beautiful track. Sincere lyrics. I love it. Can't wait to hear the entire 10-track product.
This song reminds me of jut exactly how I feel when you try to open up serious discussions about racism, sexism and the structure and culture of domination in the world that is the reason for the demise of innocent people in war-torn and disaster-stricken countries. People just shrug their shoulders as if it has nothing to do with them. Yet it is the very same system that is responsible for their wealth and comfort. These things can only exist with the presence of a severely oppressed underclass of people. Not animals, others or subhumans. PEOPLE. She is probably the one and only artist that speaks defiantly about political issues that affect the non-white, the non-privileged. The basically-invisible peoples of this world who remain voiceless and completely crippled.
"You make me hard with the wounds that I had to lick... You're a racist, I wouldn't trust you one bit."
So here's the deal - I like MIA, I like Lady Gaga. But MIA doesn't like Lady Gaga...hmmmm?
"People say we're similar, that we both mix all these things in the pot and spit them out differently," she said, "but she spits it out exactly the same. None of her music's reflective of how weird she wants to be or thinks she is."
Hehe...I'm neutral on this one
"She models herself on Grace Jones and Madonna but the music sounds like 20 year-old Ibiza disco. She's not progressive, but she's a good mimic. She sounds more like me than I fucking do! That's a talent… but she's the industry's last stab at making itself important."
Got to admit though, her music does lack in substance. I've known that from the start but what I appreciate is that she tries, she really tries to add some colour to this dreary situation we call the music business.
On a brighter note...MIA drops her 3rd Album this coming June/July. I'll be looking out for that one.
Wait a minute, hold on...
This was Lady Gaga in high school. Are you kidding me or what?
As usual, Rihanna's team has nothing new to offer. The best they could do this time was offer a sexed-up, dulled down version of an M.I.A. Who started the process if reincarnating early 90's dance stars in 2007 - MAYA ARULPRAGASAM darling. So why are you copying, why why? I'm tired so tired. Of lyrics and music video that serves for male erotic stimulus. As usual. Like the Beyonce video for "Why Don't You Love Me". As per usual, she has her business spilling out of her scantily laid tight-fitting attire. Yawn!
She appears to me as an hypersexualized Grace Jones wannabe. All that winding and clapping. Please. I don't know why I even bother commenting but it shows, it just shows how male-dominated the music industry is. Everything packaged for male enjoyment. It's becoming rarer and rarer to find a respectable female artist that can keep her clothes tacitly on and sell an enormous amount. People don't want art anymore, they just want sex. Pah! The masses are boring.
I certainly do hope Arulpragasam is in the studio working on the next album. She is brill. Anticipating to hear what she has to offer.
This one too...lol! She doesn't always appear this saccaharine.
She hasn't been in the news alot but her twitter updates have shown that she's in the studio working on future projects. Namely, the first artist on her record label NEET Rye Rye. The single 'Bang Bang' is hot. Very nice dance beat with the kind of heavy percussion that you could step to. Great work. Haven't been able to view the video so why on Earth would I torture myself by posting it.
She hasn't been in the news alot but her twitter updates have shown that she's in the studio working on future projects. Namely, the first artist on her record label NEET Rye Rye. The single 'Bang Bang' is hot. Very nice dance beat with the kind of heavy percussion that you could step to. Great work. Haven't been able to view the video so why on Earth would I torture myself by posting it.
Maya has been steady trying to raise awareness about the reality of the conflict in Sri Lanka. That it was more an attack on innocent civilians than it is a ploy to take down the Tamil Tiger movement who sought to establish their own independent state. She's asked Oprah to do something about having talks with authoritarian figures whom she obviously has direct connections to Michelle Obama ---> President Obama.
Genocides hardly go unnoticed but hardly anything is ever done by the international community. Too busy with their own affairs. Even their ploy to bring aid to foreign countries is just a way of avoiding madrass education that breeds terrorist behaviour.
If you're like me and haven't been 100% clued up on this conflict. Here's some help for you: wikipedia article
The media claims that the war has ended with the killing of Velupillai Prabhakaran - the head of the Tamil Tiger movement. Is it official? Time will tell.
Kudos to Maya for having a social concern and responsibility for a mother nation.
Stumbled across yet another fascinating piece of work. Santogold nee Santi White. Grabbed hold of the album and I'm loving it to the extreme. Electronica-infused beats layered with finely processed alternative soul vocals topped off with some eccentric i-stand-out-like-a-sore-thumb-and-i-don't-give-a-damn lyrics. We have Santigold. She's just brilliant period. That's it. Stand out tracks for me have proved to be the funky 'Unstoppable' and the futuristic 'Starstruck'.
A new one to love and certainly keep looking out for. Comparisons have been made between her and M.I.A. Although I do see a similarity in their very idiosyncratic sounds, there is the distinct difference. Mainly a result of seperate musical influences and childhood environments. One from the UK the other from the US. But both of course carving their own pathways in the most innovative ways imaginable. This is what I call an artist. There women are slowly starting to revolutionise the role female artists play in the music industry. Santigold is the future.
Rebellious, unique, creative, outspoken, feminist, politically conscious...so we'll be fine afterall. There is still hope for artistry in music.
This is something I need to listen to pronto. Only heard "Paper Planes" man, the tragedy of resource lack!
So here's someone to pay attention to, she's definitely caught my attention and truste me it's not just the colourful apparel. It's the boldness and that there's something, something to actually say that has meaning. I have fights with my sister about it all day. She doesn't get that this lovey-dovey shit is just too much sometimes (not to say that there's anything wrong with it). The other day I almost puked watching a new video by New Kids on the Block (making a comeback with Ne-Yo!). The song is not bad, it's just that there is so much more going on in the world to sing about.
Back to the topic of conversation, M.I.A. is my new favourite for real. Love the art, the sound everything. She's got it down.
Mad energy in this video. Lot of dancehall boys doing their thing. It's crazy nonsense and I LOVE IT!!! M.I.A. is the truth and the future!
