M.I.A. Wears Burqa On Red Carpet @ Spike TV's Scream 2010, Gives The Finger

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Huffington Post ran this story...the poll choices below are the ones they posted. The poll seems to be limited to the burqa and not the "giving the finger while wearing the burqa" aspect.

The always-provocative songstress M.I.A. wore a burqa of her own design on the red carpet at Saturday night's "Scream 2010" held by Spike TV in L.A. It appears that some of the lyrics from her song "XXXO" were printed on it.

For her performance, she changed into a yellow shirt, hot pink pants, green sneakers and a fluorescent blue wig.

What do you think about what she wore?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/18/mia-burqa-scream-2010_n_766131.html

[ejpoeta]

1. who is M.I.A.?

[Lyric]

16. Same question I had.

Never heard of her.

:shrug:

[NoodleyAppendage]

2. WHO GIVES A CRAP? If you are pulling this crap, then you lack talent.

True musicians do not have to rely upon "gimmicks" to gain attention.

J

[JCMach1]

6. She usually just makes good music... Rock in Roll was built on in your face

non-conformity...

So rave on sister.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. I get it. When deciding which artists have talent and which don't, you look at their attire.

:eyes:

[NoodleyAppendage]

14. No, but I'm very suspicious if they are extremely histrionic (aka. Lady Gaga)

Generally, when the histrionics are high, the quality of the music is low. All flash and little substance.

J

[Ignis]

11. ...Which is why the great Rocknrollas all wore business suits.

Right? :shrug:

[NoodleyAppendage]

15. Compare shall we say Radiohead to Lady Gaga. Or, U2 to Boy George.

Good examples of how the emphasis should be on the quality of the music and not what one looks like (though I will concede Bono is histrionic).

J

[Bluenorthwest]

23. U2 is 90% image. Flash. Big, big shows...

So an odd choice. Guys whose very names are chosen for image reasons. The Edge. Puh-lease. A quick list of people who make your point seem daft: Elton John, Jimi Hendrix, Little Richard, George Clinton, the Tubes, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, Prince, Queen and other makers of 'quality music' from Screamin' Jay Hawkins to the highly trained and adept Lady GaGa. Not liking an entertainer does not mean they lack talent. U2. To me, shallow, affected, repetitive and all about the profit. But they can play, make a show, they have written some good songs and lots of people like them. Sure, they are also a fashion show and a circus, but they are a good band. In there somewhere, among the private jets and sunglasses, there is a touch of skill, even of art, of a sort. An industrial sort, but it is a sort.

[sufrommich]

20. Those damn kids should just get off your lawn!!

[CurtEastPoint]

3. I never heard of her either but I'm old but she does good

charitable work, per Wiki:

M.I.A. has funded Youth Action International and set up school-building projects in Liberia in 2006.<155><156> She supports the Unstoppable Foundation, an organization that provides children in developing countries the resources they need to receive education.<157> During her visit to Liberia she met the then President of Liberia, rehabilitated ex-child soldiers and appeared as part of a humanitarian mission there, hosting a "4Real" TV-Series documentary on the post war situation in the country with activist Kimmie Weeks.<106><156><158> Following her performance at the 2008 MTV Movie Awards afterparty, she donated her $100,000 performance fee to building more schools in the country, telling the crowd, "It costs $52,000 to build a school for 1,000."<159><160><161> Winning the 2008 Official Soundclash Championships (iPod Battle) with her "M.I.A. and Friends" team, 20% of the following year's championship ticket sales were donated to her Liberian school building projects.<162> In 2009, she supported the "Mercy Mission to Vanni" aid ship, destined to send civilian aid from Britain to Vanni and controversially blocked from reaching its destination.<148> The country's navy announced that it would fire on any ship that entered its waters and M.I.A. was singled out on the army's official website after the singer announced her support for the campaign.<163>

[JCMach1]

4. Here is a more conventional pic: she does have talent

You might remember this song from Slum Dog Millionaire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sei-eEjy4g

[maxsolomon]

5. i'm offended by her shallow thinking

she's trying to be a provocateur, but she's just not a deep thinker.

[JCMach1]

7. Sometimes I am not even sure this is a democratic board any more...

sigh

Bet you hated The Clash too...

[Edweird]

9. The Clash was coprorate punk.Gah!

[superduperfarleft]

12. The Clash /=/ MIA.

Seriously, that comparison is almost offensive to me.

[JCMach1]

19. Still beats the hello out of Madonna re-treads and 12yr. old MJ wannabes

Anyone who is willing to give the finger to the douchebags every once in awhile is okay by me...

[maxsolomon]

21. thank you for that - it would take 20 MIAs to = The Clash

really, i know who she is. i've listened to all her records because my daughter likes her and i try to keep up with what's new and provocative in music - i like the new single, "Born Free", but mostly because of the sample. and i know who the sample is from, unlike most MIA fans.

i read the NYT profile and i know who she's married to. i don't think she's sorted through the tangle of what it means to espouse 3rd world revolution when you're married to the heir of a western media fortune. that criticism doesn't make me "undemocratic".

i LOVE provocation in music - i just think hers is overhyped and not thought through. wearing a "cool" Burkha is saying what? "i don't know what this means, but look at me"? or "i stand with the oppressed victims of western imperialism by wearing the the most concrete symbol of the oppression of women in the muslim world"?

[superduperfarleft]

22. I completely agree.

From the interviews I've read, she seems like she has only a very superficial understanding of the various political issues that she's talking about. The video for Born Free was better than the song, and her other stuff strikes me as no more than slightly unconventional pop music.

I don't see people tearfully inducting her into the rock and roll hall of fame in twenty years.

[Ignis]

13. You've studied her background, right?

Tamil Tigers, all that? :think:

[bemildred]

8. You need a "who gives a shit?" option. nt

[okieinpain]

17. I kinda understand the message, but if she wore that burqa in

some parts of the middle east they would probably try to give her a hundred lashes. I would have preferred if she wore a t-shirt that said what happened to freedom of religion or something along that line.

[Skidmore]

18. Who?

[Bluenorthwest]

24. Asking 'who' while on a machine with a search engine is odd.

Just saying. Three letters into the google box. Out pops all sorts of information.

[kgnu_fan]

25. I. L.O.V.E M.I.A !.!.!

M.I.A. PAPER PLANES official video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sei-eEjy4g


Street Sweeper Social Club - Paper Planes (M.I.A. Cover) - NIN|JA Tour - 5.27.09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsjgM0b385g