M.I.A: An Artist and Accused Terrorist

M.I.A. in the past couple of months has topped the charts with her hit single “Paper Planes” from her album Kala. The song gained considerable attention after it was used in the trailer for the film Pineapple Express. The attention gained from her song has also pushed M.I.A. into the spotlight.

Sri Lanka, M.I.A.’s home country, currently is involved in a civil war. The artist has been accused of being a terrorist due to the fact that she uses the image of a tiger and writes lyrics addressing violence. The tiger is significant in that her father is part of the Tamil Tigers organization (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), a guerrilla army. Another rapper of Sri Lankan dissent, DeLon stated, “You know what the tiger represents: the death of the innocent.”

M.I.A. has brought attention to the political issue multiple times by supporting a controversial aid mission and by talking to Oprah in order for her to shed some light on this issue. M.I.A.’s political involvement earned her a spot on TIME’s 100 list of the most influential people on earth.

The fact that Oprah and M.I.A. are together in TIME’s 100 list leads me to believe for better or for worse M.I.A.’s presence cannot be ignored…

-Sarah Saltzman

Currently listening to: “Crush” by DMB from Before These Crowded Streets

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