M.I.A has always known that her unique blend of world music and politically minded hip-hop would be a hard sell. “In the beginning people were like, well, where the hell does this s— fit?” recalls the rapper who was born in Britain but is of Sri Lankan descent. “When I started off in England, HMV or Tower Records would come to meetings and be, like, we just don’t know what this genre is. I don’t really fit in between Rihanna and Beyoncé.” Indeed, for a long time, it seemed that M.I.A. was getting more good reviews than she was selling records. But now the 31-year-old has crossed over with her Clash-sampling single “Paper Planes,” which received a huge boost by being featured on the Pineapple Express trailer. After the jump, EW talks to M.I.A about her newfound success and why it’s really messed up her early retirement plans.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So how did a rap song that satirizes society’s fear of immigrants wind up on the trailer of a stoner action-comedy?
M.I.A.: They were really keen on the song and approached [my label] Interscope, andInterscope asked me and I was, like, well, since it’s just the trailer,that’s cool. I didn’t really think twice about it.
Would you have thought twice if they wanted to use it in the actual movie?
Yeah. Trailers just come and go. But if it was in the movie, I wouldhave had to scrutinize what scene they were using it in and stuff likethat.
Have you seen Pineapple Express?
No, I keep missing it. I got invited to the premiere but I couldn’t make it. Maybe I’ll go tonight.
I’m not sure whether you owe Seth Rogen a dinner or he owes you.
I think we probably owe each other one.
You had to cancel a festival appearance last year because youcouldn’t get a U.S. visa. Is it true that "Paper Planes" was partlyinspired by your problems with the immigration folks?
Yeah, they’re always giving me a hard time. When I wrote it I’d justgotten in to New York after waiting a long time and that’s why I wroteit, just to have a dig. It’s about people driving cabs all day andliving in a s—ty apartment and appearing really threatening tosociety. But not being so. Because, by the time you’ve finished workinga 20-hour shift, you’re so tired you [just] want to get home to the family. Idon’t think immigrants are that threatening to society at all. They’rejust happy they’ve survived some war somewhere.
What is the significance of the gunshots and the cash register rings on the track?
You can either apply it on a street level and go, oh, you’re talkingabout somebody robbing you and saying I’m going to take your money.But, really, it could be a much bigger idea: someone’s selling you gunsand making money. Selling weapons and the companies that manufactureguns — that’s probably the biggest moneymaker in the world.
That’s a lot of stuff for a pop song.
It is, but you only have three minutes to put in your thesis.
When you performed at Bonnaroo this year, you said it was going to be your last ever show. Did you mean it?
Well, it was my last ever show. And it still is. I stopped touringafter that and I didn’t want to make music again. I was quite happy tojust leave it all behind. I was happy with what I had achieved. Now,with the success of “Paper Planes,” there’s pull for me to makeanother record. Even my mum believes in me more [laughs]. It’s a niceencouragement. But I was planning my life as a fishing woman on theoutskirts of Cambodia. That’s a joke.
What did you really want to do?
I think I would have gone and made a film. As an artist you want toplay around with mediums and see if you can get the point across in adifferent way. I wanted to stay an outsider and prolong the process ofgetting accepted.
Well, you’ve really messed that up.
I know, I know! Now I have to go back to the drawing board. Seriously, these weeks have been, like, s—, now what?
I heard this song on the radio last week and went to itunes to see if there was an unedited version – those gunshots are annoying.
When I got there, I saw hundreds of reviews of people crying because the song wasn’t popular until “Pineapple Express”.
Can someone tell me why people are like this? Just because you heard a song a year before everyone else really doesn’t make you cooler, nor does it give you exclusive domain over that song.
Even more disturbing, I bet half of the people complaining really DIDN’T know about it before “Pineapple Express”. Your need for everyone to think you are hip and ahead of everyone else is so annoying.
It’s really not even that good of a song, by the way. I mean, seriously, Timbaland appears on one of her songs. There is no bigger evidence that your music sucks than that.
The gunshots are in the original song AFAIK (see Mr. Collis’ question above), not censorship.
Yes, I quickly discovered that when I went to itunes…
To Fletch:
Although I have a different opinion of the song (it’s pretty damn catchy to me), it is annoying to hear the people who listened to M.I.A. prior to the Pineapple Express trailer ranting against the people who like it now. If a band gets more mainstream exposure because of a TV show, movie or any other form of media, so what? When these hardcore music listeners whine about how niche bands get next to no attention, they should be happy when it does, not act livid about it. I doubt the artists are complaining about the extra attention. I sure wouldn’t.
Second those comments. I love the Drive-by Truckers. They don’t get nearly the run that they deserve, and I certainly wouldn’t get my ass on my shoulders if everyone started loving them – no matter how they got exposure.
This clears up a big mystery for me, because I couldn’t understand why a song originally released at the end of last year had suddenly caught on.
Anything that gets M.I.A into more ears is fine with me. What would the whiners rather have: a seventh single from the Rihanna CD?
Now, like I said, I am no big fan of this song, but I have to second ns’ comment regarding Rihanna. I had to chuckle at that, because I got some fire on another board the other day for my criticism of her.
I guess when you compare it to Rihanna, MIA isn’t so bad. HAHAHA!!!
The CD she put out last year is amazing. Hardcore but hot.
“I mean, seriously, Timbaland appears on one of her songs. There is no bigger evidence that your music sucks than that.”
Oh Lord.
Yeah, Fatima, sorry about that. I’ve had about enough of that dude. I didn’t think he was all that talented to begin with, and he has just been everywhere over the past couple of years. I think I’ve just been oversaturated. That whole OneRepublic thing may have been the last straw for me.
I *loved* Kala, but the Timbaland song is one of the worst songs MIA has ever done. I am very glad it didn’t work out for him to produce the whole album the way he was supposed to. I’m hoping that she comes back and gives us another album and that her “done with music” thing is just fatigue after too much touring. She’s way too talented.
I thought paper plains was one of the only crap songs on the album… I guess that is why I am not in the music biz.
“Anything that gets M.I.A into more ears is fine with me.” I’m with you, ns: M.I.A. is way too talented–and “Kala” is way too good–to go unnoticed any longer.
“What would the whiners rather have: a seventh single from the Rihanna CD?” I’m NOT with you, ns (nor am I a “whiner”, though): I’d ALSO like a 7th single from one of last year’s best pop albums. I’ll take “Breakin’ Dishes”, please.
Finally, just because Timbaland has finally gained his due/mainstream exposure doesn’t make the man any less talented: to wit, Missy’s “…So Addictive” and Album of the Year nominee “Under Construction” are but two examples of the man’s genius.
With due respect, Ellipsian, I didn’t find him very talented to begin with. Not even back in 2002 when he was working with Lil Kim. I’ve just never been a fan. To each his own, I guess.
The Timbaland track is the weakest song on Kala and it should have been left off. Don’t use that song as an excuse to hate on her or the whole album. A lot of great albums have one sucky song on them. Kala is a more complete album than Arular but both are great. If P. Express leads to more people discovering her that’s fine esp if it drives her to make more music. She will never be mainstream simply b/c of her subject matter and accent but I hope the increased attention keeps her in the game.