Just because you don’t reach that conclusion from your listening experience doesn’t mean it’s not there.

There are standard elements found in average hip-hop tracks, but 90% of hip-hop does not come from a woman with a “third world” perspective that uses a Clash beat (produced by someone influenced by Brazilian music)to illustrate a character that makes visas to benefit herself and people like her, wants nothing more than to bust a cap and steal some money and brags about her rap sheet (“some of them I murder. Some I let go.”)

While this track single-handedly lends itself to a Beastie Boys “Paul’s Boutique” comparison, there is much more to M.I.A. if you look past her Top 40 success. Her records use electro beats, world beats, disco beats and left-field samples.

You can argue about a song you don’t like, you can be wrong, but you can’t make a valid critique of an artist based on one song. Try “Amazon”, “Bamboo Banga” and “Bird Flu” to see what else M.I.A. brings to the table.

I’m gonna “look” for the deeper meaning in these.. please correct.

“I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make ’em all day
I get one down in a second if you wait”

She makes fake visas to get into the country? Doesn’t mention her inability to gain access to the usa, or the fact that she was “made” as a person from a “nation of interest”. Sounds like she makes fake passports. Word.

“Sometimes I think sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I’m clocking that game
Everyone’s a winner, we’re making our fame
Bonafide hustler making my name”

Something about making money or being famous? Sounds pretty bog standard rap to me.

“[x4]
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
And take your money”

She wants to kill me and take my money? Or she is being sarcastic about it. Either way… word.

“Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bongs
Running when we hit ’em
Lethal poison through their system”

More vague death threats/drug references- Guys.. sound just like 90 percent of rap songs, which isn’t bad but far divides her as “an important young artist” imo. She rapping about nothing new.

“No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my Burner prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going hell just pumping that gas”

Oh…. It all makes sense now. SHe packs AND delivers like ups trucks. My bad,

“M.I.A.
Third world democracy
Yeah, I got more records than the K.G.B.
So, uh, no funny business”

She has a larger music collection then all of Soviet Russia’s secret police. Now… that’s just bragging.

Please read up on MIA before you speak about her again. You are completely ignorant of who she is as an artist. A lot of her songs have a political or social messgae in them, including “Papaer Planes” (the chorus is about her not being able to get into the US due to the American government cracking down on “trouble” people from other countries). Her clothing used to be primarily home-made/designed, either by her or people she knew. The image/sound is a juxtaposition to what the musical content contains.

Don’t casually dismiss one of the most important young artists of the last decade.

A. Maybe you missed the inherent humor/sarcasm in the “12 threat” section, but it was there. Also, again… way to high.

B. Jesse loves you. Hard. And by north, do you mean Canada?

C. Thanks. I’m composing you a throat ballad as we speak.

It’s not hard to be better than Jesse though, try saying the exact shit you said here to someone from the north.

Don’t be so full of yourself, please, it comes off bad.

Genocide exists in the world and most people dont realize it, so I dont see how attempting to let people know that’s going on is such a terrible thing.