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M.I.A.

Musician
Forfans of genre-bending hip hop, electronic explorers, and politically minded pop listeners.
8 Reviews 5 Definitions 4 Charts

The Profile

M.I.A. is a British artist of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage known for fusing hip hop, electronic and global sounds with sharp political commentary. Breakthrough albums Arular and Kala led to the global hit Paper Planes; subsequent releases Maya, Matangi and AIM expanded and challenged her palette.

Themes: war, migration, racism, identity. Known for the censored Born Free video and a headline-making 2012 Super Bowl halftime appearance with Madonna and Nicki Minaj. Collaborations and production associations include Switch, Diplo and Skrillex.

The reviews trace M.I.A.’s arc from Arular’s raw electro-grime spark to Kala’s global collage, through Maya’s abrasive, divisive industrial dubstep turn, to Matangi’s balanced return and AIM’s pop-leaning sheen. Themes of war, migration and identity recur, with high-profile controversies around videos and performances. Production touchpoints include Switch, Diplo and Skrillex.

Who knows M.I.A.?

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