Jump to content

M.I.A. (rapper)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 83.189.221.12 (talk) at 12:35, 30 August 2007 (→Albums). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about the singer M.I.A. For other uses, please see MIA.
M.I.A.

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam (born on July 17, 1977)[1] is a rapper, singer, songwriter, producer and visual artist of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. She is best known by her stage name, M.I.A.. Her music style contains elements of grime, hip-hop, ragga, dancehall, electro, and baile funk. In 2005, her first album, Arular, was nominated for the Mercury Prize.[2] In 2007, her second album, Kala, was voted Mixmag's Album of the Month in the magazine's September issue.[3]

Biography

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, the daughter of a Tamil activist-turned militant, Arul Pragasam,[4] was born in Hounslow, London. When she was six months old, her family moved back to their native Sri Lanka. Motivated by his wish to support the LTTE, her father became politically known as Arular[1] and was a founding member of The Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS), a militant Tamil group.[5][6] Her alias, M.I.A., stands for both Missing in Acton and Missing in Action.[7]

While residing in Sri Lanka, Maya lived with her grandparents. After a year, as her father's involvement in militant activities increased, Maya, her older sister Kali, and their mother moved to Jaffna in the far north of the island, where Maya's younger brother Sugu was born. Contact with her father was strictly limited, as she says he was in hiding from the Sri Lankan Army.[8][7] Eventually, as the civil war escalated, it became unsafe for the family to stay in Sri Lanka,[8] so they were forced to relocate to Madras, India.[9] They moved into an almost derelict house, surviving there for a while with sporadic visits from Maya's father. However, financial struggles, illness as well as limitations of food and water meant moving back to Sri Lanka, with the help of an uncle, where they settled in Jaffna again.

By now, the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka was at its peak,[8] and the family once again tried to flee the country.[9] After several failed attempts to leave, Maya’s mother successfully made it out with the three children, arriving first in India before finally returning to Maya's birthplace in London, where they were housed as refugees.[8]

It was in the late 80s, on a council estate in Mitcham (South London), that an eleven-year-old Arulpragasam began to learn the English language.[6] Here she was exposed to Western radio for the first time, hearing broadcasts emanating from her neighbors' flats.[6] Her affinity for hip-hop and rap began from there. The attitudes of Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shante and N.W.A. influenced her.[1]

Arulpragasam attended London's Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, where she studied fine art, film and video.[10]

Art and film

File:Miabook1.gif
Maya's Pocko Editions Art book cover.

Maya's first-ever public exhibition of paintings in 2001 at the Euphoria Shop in Portobello, London, featured candy coloured spray-paint and stencil pictures of the Tamil rebellion movement. Graffitied tigers and palm trees mixed with orange, green and pink camouflage, bombs, guns and fighters on chip board off-cuts and canvases. The show was nominated for the Alternative Turner Prize,[10] (Jude Law is a patron of her art)[11] and a monograph book of the collection was published by Pocko Template:Fn (which was simply entitled M.I.A.).[12]

The Publication's back cover reads:

From a long-forgotten region of endemic conflict comes a project to challenge your ethical core. The art of warfare is sprawled across these pages transforming bloodshed into beauty and raising the phoenix of forbidden expression - The real war is in us.Template:Fn

Music career

A commission from Elastica's Justine Frischmann to provide the artwork and cover image for the band's second album, The Menace, led to Arulpragasam following the band on tour around forty American states, video-documenting the event, and eventually directing the music video for Elastica's single, "Mad Dog". The support act on the tour, electro-clash artist Peaches, introduced Arulpragasam to the Roland MC-505 sequencing machine and encouraged her to in the artform she felt least confident in: music[citation needed]. Back home in London, Arulpragasam and Frischmann got hold of a 505 and, working with the simplest of set-ups (a second-hand 4-track, the 505 and a radio microphone), Arulpragasam worked-up a series of six songs onto a demo tape which aroused interest. This tape included the first track she had ever composed, "M.I.A.", the second track she had ever composed, "Galang", and "Lady Killer". The tape was edited by Steve Mackey and Ross Orton who then re-worked the track "Galang". (sampleⓘ)

A mix of dancehall, electro, grime and world music, Showbiz Records pressed 500 copies of the independent vinyl single "Galang" in 2003, and the single became popular and made an immediate impact with DJs.[9] In 2004, file-sharing of her buzz single, “Galang,” followed by the head-spinning speed of internet word-of-mouth made her a household name to international hipsters before she’d ever graced a stage.[13] Major record labels caught onto the popularity of "Galang" and M.I.A. eventually signed to XL Recordings home to Dizzee Rascal, Basement Jaxx and the White Stripes, as they were the only label to offer her complete creative control.[14] She also chose them because it was the closest to her house, telling the label, "Trust me, you've been looking for me",[14] before dropping off the "Galang" tape. They called her back 20 minutes later[citation needed].

File:Sunshowers.jpg
Maya Arulpragasam in the video for her song "Sunshowers"

"Galang" was re-released. The accompanying music video for "Galang", featuring multiple M.I.A.’s amid a backdrop of her graffiti artwork animated and brought to life, was directed by Ruben Fleischer and art directed by M.I.A. herself. Scenes of urban Britain and the war in Sri Lanka are depicted and delivered with a wry sense of humour[citation needed]. For her next single release, "Sunshowers," Arulpragasam again collaborated with Ross Orton and Steve Mackey. Together they reworked a chorus from Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band’s track of the same name, this time about guerrilla warfare and the Sri Lankan war[citation needed]. A video was made for the track, which she filmed in the jungles of South India with director Rajesh Touchriver.[10]

Meeting Diplo

Arulpragasam approached Diplo when he was DJing one night at the Fabric Club in London. "Besides me being a white dude from Florida and her being a Sri Lankan girl in England, everything else was the same: [We were both] film graduates, [listened to] all the same music when we were kids, were going in the same direction right now in music, it was amazing."[15] he said of their meeting. Coincidentally, Diplo was playing "Galang" as she entered the club.[14]

Piracy Funds Terrorism (2004)

The next month, Arulpragasam left for Philadelphia to work on the production of her first composition and the hidden track on her album, "M.I.A.", with Diplo, and to also collaborate on new material.[citation needed] They both began experimenting with a capellas of the tracks on Arular, remixing, sampling and mashing them up with prominent rappers and musicians, eventually using the material created during the sessions to build the mixtape Piracy Funds Terrorism.

In 2004, New York's Fader Magazine made her their cover star with the head line "This is M.I.A. - Music's Now Thing". She flew out to New York to headline a live show to coincide with the launch of the issue, and stayed to see designer Matthew Williamson open and close his fashion week runway show with the song Sunshowers.[1]

Piracy Funds Terrorism was initially only given to the press and handed out at early live shows, but because of the album's underground success,[16][17] Turntablelab.com began releasing the mixtape exclusively through their website around December 2004. The mixtape added to the anticipation of Arulpragasam's debut album.[9] It was popular among M.I.A.'s growing fanbase within the music blogosphere and elsewhere.[16]

Diplo later produced the third track on Arular, "Bucky Done Gun", which mixes the popular baile funk sound from Rio de Janeiro with a sample from "Gonna Fly Now" (the theme from Rocky).

Arular (2005)

M.I.A. performing at Sónar in June 2005.

Prior to the release of her debut LP, Arulpragasam made her North American debut at the Drake Hotel in Toronto in February, 2005. According to organiser Jacob Smid the “Response was phenomenal”.[18] She followed this with a sold out performance at New York City’s Knitting Factory club the next day. “She brings out such a diverse crowd…At the time, it seemed like she was still under the radar; the record wasn't out but people were singing along to every song", Smid recalled to Pollstar Magazine. "It was really cool to see.”[18]

Arulpragasam’s debut album Arular was finally released worldwide in March 2005 and was critically acclaimed.[19][20] Titled in acknowledgment of her father's past, and with topics ranging from identity and poverty to revolution and war, the album was praised for its originality. Co-produced and written mostly by M.I.A., Arular featured a fusion of genres, experimentation with different sounds, her hand-sprayed artwork on the record sleeves and lyrics that mixed Tamil, Spanish, and Jamaican slang. With tracksuits and hoodies specially sewn from African and Ceylonese print fabrics, or Mowgli dance moves for ragga beats, Arulpragasam showcased culture clashes that worked; being described as “a unique voice unafraid to mix big issues with cool sounds.”[21] It also featured exploration of new territory for its co-producers Steve Mackey and Richard X who worked with dancehall and Tamil nursery rhymes. Maya followed the release of the album with performances at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the Manhattan club S.O.B.s, at Central Park Summerstage, the Glastonbury Festival, Reading Festival and Japan's Summer Sonic Fest as well as at other venues.[22][23] She also toured with LCD Soundsystem.[24] She appeared on the track “Bad Man” on Missy Elliott’s 2005 album The Cookbook.

On July 19, 2005, M.I.A. was shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize for Arular.[25] Commercially successful, Arular remains one of the best selling independent albums in Canada, having stayed on the Nielsen SoundScan Electronic Top Ten Chart for 27 weeks, peaking at number 3.[26] In December, Arular was the second most featured album in music critics’ Year-End Top 10 lists for 2005.[27] It was placed number two on The Village Voice's 33rd annual Pazz & Jop poll for the Best Album of 2005[28] and gained glowing reviews from several publications worldwide.[19][20][26] M.I.A. ended 2005 joining Gwen Stefani on her Harajuku Lovers Tour.

Kala (2007)

M.I.A. performing at the Siren Music Festival in June 2007.

The arrival of 2006 saw her returning to the studio to work on her second studio album, titled Kala. The album was recorded while M.I.A. travelled through several different countries including India, Trinidad, Jamaica, Australia, Japan and Baltimore[29], and producers on the album are said to include M.I.A. herself, as well as Switch, Diplo, Timbaland, Bangladesh, and Danja,[30] M.I.A. has cited the album as "shapes, colours, Africa, street, power, bitch, nu world, and brave."[31] M.I.A. also worked with Three 6 Mafia on two songs for her next album.[32] Neither of the tracks made the final cut.

Two of the album tracks, "XR2" and "20 Dollar" (which the fans titled "Talk About Moi") premiered on her Myspace and fan forum site, respectively. Arulpragasam visited Liberia in December 2006 to meet war-affected people there including ex-child soldiers and film a documentary on the post war situation in the country with activist Kimmie Weeks.[33][34] On May 2, 2007, a new track, "Hit That," was released onto the Internet via Bangladesh's MySpace profile, but never made it to the new album.[citation needed]. The song has a rehashed version of the rap from Richard X's 'Goodies' remix which featured M.I.A[citation needed]. Some of the lyrics from "Hit That" were used in the Japanese bonus track "What I Got."

"Bird Flu" was released via her Myspace on February 5, 2007. Despite not being an actual single, a video was filmed and can be found on her official site, or on her Youtube account. M.I.A. featured in the song "Come Around", a bonus track on Timbaland's 2007 album Timbaland Presents Shock Value. The song also appears on Kala.

On 24 April 2007, the first official single to be lifted from M.I.A.'s second studio album was premiered by Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1. The song, "Boyz," contains tribal beats and was produced by Switch, who also produced "Bird Flu." During an interview prior to the single premiering, M.I.A. confirmed that video had been filmed in Jamaica. Zane Lowe then went on to confirm that the album's title is in fact Kala and not "Power Power" or "Jimmy" as previously speculated.

The album's second single "Jimmy" was released in August as the release date for Kala approached. The song is a cover of "Jimmy Jimmy Aaja" from the 1982 Bollywood movie, Disco Dancer.

Zig-Zag (2007)

M.I.A recently launched her own record label entitled Zig-Zag. Afrikan Boy’s track ‘Lidl’ is set to be the first release. In a Vbs.tv exclusive interview, M.I.A. brings Spike Jonze to meet Afrikan Boy in his immigrant neighborhood of Deptford, Woolwich, South London. [32]

Piracy Funds Terrorism vol.2 (2007 - 2008)

M.I.A. has remained quiet with revealing details about PFT2, though she has said there is plenty of unreleased material. Some speculation arose on the concept when, in a VBS.tv interview M.I.A. played a song reportedly titled "Talk About Moi." It is undetermined when PFT2 will be released.

Censorship

The nature of M.I.A.'s art work and lyrics has led to controversy. MTV refused to play the video of her single "Sunshowers" until the line "Like PLO, I don't surrendo", which references the Palestine Liberation Organization, is removed from the song. M.I.A. was denied a visa to enter the US around April/May 2006. The reason for the denial was not clearly explained. [35] M.I.A. has however previously stated in an interview about censorship of her work:

From Day One, this has been a mad, crazy thing: I say the things I'm not supposed to say, I look wrong, my music doesn't sound comfortable for any radio stations or genres, people are having issues with my videos when they're not rude or explicit or crazy controversial. I find it all really funny.[14]


Discography

Main article: M.I.A. discography

Albums

Singles

Year Title Album Chart positions
UK U.S. U.S Dance Sales U.S Single Sales CAN JAP
2003/
2004 		"Galang" Arular
—
—
—
—
19
—
2004 "Sunshowers"
93
—
—
—
22
—
2005 "Bucky Done Gun"
88
—
—
—
—
—
"Galang" '05
77
—
11
—
—
—
2007 "Boyz" Kala
—
—
—
7
—
—
"Jimmy"
—
—
—
—
—
9

Guest appearances

  • Cornershop's "Topknot," single, 2004 - "Topknot [Cavemen's Mix]" featuring Bubbley Kaur & M.I.A.
  • Ciara's "Goodies," single, 2005 - "Goodies [Richard X's Remix]" featuring M.I.A.
  • Missy Elliott's The Cookbook, album, 2005 - "Bad Man" [featuring Vybz Kartel & M.I.A.]
  • Jamesy P's "Nookie," single, 2005 - "Nookie [Featuring M.I.A.]", "Nookie [M.I.A. & Jabba Remix]"
  • Nump's "I Gott Grapes," single, 2006 - "I Gott Grapes [M.I.A.'s Remix]"
  • Amanda Blank's "Take It Easy," MySpace single, 2007 - "Take It Easy" with M.I.A.
  • Timbaland's Timbaland Presents Shock Value, UK exclusive bonus track, 2007 - "Come Around" featuring M.I.A.
  • RockstarFire Fire by M.I.A in Midnight Club 3 DUB Edition soundtrack for PS2

Awards and nominations

Some awards and nominations M.I.A. has received are listed below.

Art

Music

Trivia

  • She states in an interview that she idolised director Spike Jonze, wrote a script, and was approached by another director John Singleton to work on a film in LA.[36] She never ended up going, stating "I was more into Harmony Korine and Dogme 95, radical cinema."[37]
  • Returned to Sri Lanka in 2001 with the intent of making a documentary to retrace the steps of her childhood and discover the fate of a cousin who had joined the Tigers and died under mysterious circumstances.[38] .
  • In 2000, she was a roommate of friend and fashion designer Luella Bartley. The two were featured in an article for Fashion Rocks Magazine in September 2006.[39]
  • Named Spin and URB magazines' "Artist of the Year" in 2005.
  • There is a song named after her called "Arulpragasam" on the nerdcore rapper mc chris' 2006 release, Dungeon Master of Ceremonies with the line " 'cause the future's harder to say than M.I.A.'s last name."
  • Placed #8 on Spinner.com's Women Who Rock Right Now.
  • Her single "Bucky Done Gun" was included in the soundtrack of NBA Live 06.
  • In 2005, appeared on the cult T.V. show Pancake Mountain where she taught dance moves to children. One move was called “Step On The Cockroach”.
  • M.I.A.’s new bob was cut by her friend, a Polish hairdresser, while on Ketamine.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Loveridge, Steven (November 2004). "M.I.A.: Short Biography". Isfm.net. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ http://albumofthemonth.com/mercurys2005.html
  3. ^ http://albumofthemonth.com/mixmagmonth2007.html
  4. ^ Lynskey, Dorian (22 April 2005). "Fighting Talk". The Guardian. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Wang, Oliver (May 9 2005). "M.I.A.: Rapper and Daughter of Revolution". NPR. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b c Wheaton, Robert (6 May 2005). "London Calling - For Congo, Columbo, Sri Lanka..." PopMatters.com. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ a b Empire, Kitty (20 March 2005). "Flash-forward". The Observer. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b c d Umile, Dominic. "M.I.A. Arular". Prefix Magazine. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b c d Kellman, Andy. "M.I.A.: Short biography". All Music Guide. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ a b c Mangla, Ismat (4 October 2004). "Not-So Missing in Action". Nirali Magazine. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Weiner, Jonah (Jan/Feb 2005). "The Next Best Thing! M.I.A." Blender Magazine. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "M.I.A.: The Pocko Art Collection". Pocko Editions. 06 August 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "M.I.A. Is Back in Action". Retrieved August 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ a b c d Pytlik, Mark (14 March 2005). "Interview: M.I.A." Pitchforkmedia.com. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Pytlik, Mark (4 April 2005). "Interview: Diplo". Pitchforkmedia.com. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ a b "M.I.A.: Arular". Tiny MixTapes. 2005. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Metroland Online – Live: M.I.A. "Tiger on the Mic"". Metroland.net. 2005. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ a b Peters, Mitchell (5 September 2005). "M.I.A." Pollstar Magazine. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ a b Acclaimed Music.net (31 December 2005). "Acclaimed Music - Arular". Acclaimed Music.net. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ a b Metacritic (31 December 2005). "M.I.A.: Arular (2005): Reviews". Metacritic Database. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "Release – Arular by M.I.A." GiantStep.net. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "XL: M.I.A. Mini-Biography". XL Recordings. Summer 2005. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ Shapiro, Peter (17 June 2005). "Talking about her revolution". The Times. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ "M.I.A. Radio Interview (audio)". KEXP.org. 11 May 2005. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ Forrest, Emma (4 September 2005). "MIA, Myself and I". Guardian Unlimited Arts. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ a b Beggars Group Canada (31 December 2005). "M.I.A. Closes 2005 in Grand Style". Beggars Group Canada. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ Metacritic (31 December 2005). "Metacritic: Best Albums of 2005". Metacritic Database. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ The Village Voice (31 December 2005). "The 33rd Annual Village Voice pazz&jop critics' poll". The Village Voice. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ "Music Review: M.I.A. Returns". Retrieved August 21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ ""Switch Hitter – M.I.A. producer comes out of shadows"". 2007-02-08. Retrieved 2007-03-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ ""10 essential albums for Spring"". 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2007-04-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ "M.I.A. in Ardent". mixonline.com. 9 December 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ Arulpragasam, Maya: Crack Guns in Africa, Crack in America. M.I.A. Myspace. 2 December 2006. Retrieved 24 February 2007.
  34. ^ "Top Singer M.I.A. in Liberia, MTV Crew in town". Analyst Liberia.com. 7 December 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ "MIA Denied Entry To the US". The Spacelab. Spring 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ Robert Epstein, Daniel (29 December 2005). "Interview: M.I.A." Suicidegirls.com. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ "John Singleton - M.I.A. once eyed a career as a film-maker". Contactmusic.com. 4 October 2005. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ Binielli, Mark (15 December 2005). "Guerrilla Goddess". Rolling Stone. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  39. ^ "Luella Bartley & M.I.A." Nirali Magazine. 11 August 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

Books

  • Template:Fnb Arulpragasam, Maya (2002). M.I.A. No. 10 (Paperback ed.). Pocko Editions. ISBN 1-903977-10-X
Wikimedia Commons has media related to M.I.A..
Wikiquote has quotations related to M.I.A. (rapper).

Interviews:

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M.I.A._(rapper)&oldid=154584361"