Contrary opinion about M.I.A

Although M.I.A has been cooler in Australia for longer than she has in America (entirely unprovable opening gambit) the notion that 'M.I.A is an idiot' hasn't yet reached our shores.

Spearheaded by Gawker, here are some highlights: M.I.A's ridic opinions on NYC, the ridic demands on M.I.A's rider and M.I.A's ridic musings on violence

Plus some hilarious views from the notoriously snarky comments section:




And I guess i'll leave this one with you, Nina?





I'm not really in to the argument that M.I.A's opinions don't count cos she's marrying a rich dude. Especially since Gawker could be considered problematic for exactly the same reason, having long lost its authority to lop down NYC's tallest poppies by becoming such a loud voice itself.

M.I.A's background is genuinely unique and it makes perfect sense that her personal experiences are central to her politics and beliefs. But personal narratives are not the most reliable forms of political commentary, and political commentary is certainly not the most reliable method of political change.

Look I know Che won the revolution by mouthing off in Nylon Magazine, but where is he now? Emblazoned across the chest of every second insufferable 1st year Arts student. As lionel-mandrake says, M.I.A will probably end up garnering the same sort of insincere (and annoying) following, "I can get a piece of that? Just by visiting iTunes. Now I feel like a rebel too!"

M.I.A sees her role as being "the only voice" in the story of the Tamil's. Not only is the war covered extensively by international media (haven't read), but perhaps she's also not the most clear and eloquent spokesperson...

"... y'know it's cos like Obama.... and media propoganda..... and I like use my own brain to make judgements about wot the truth is and wot it isn't, and I know from my own experiences what that is. And that's the thing about my music..." [slightly unfair paraphrase]

She does looks REALLY pretty in that interview though.