M.I.A.: I’m a Rapper, Not a Pop Star

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Gossip, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop,

M.I.A. dismisses the idea she is a pop star.

The "Bring The Noize" musician insisted she prefers to be known as a rapper and thinks people pigeonholing her the way they do is a bit "weird."

"I dunno... it's weird. I'm not really a pop star. I don't think I'm popular enough to be a proper pop star. I prefer being called a rapper," she told V magazine. She admitted there was a time before her fourth album Matangi when she questioned her own ability to make a successful pop album. "After I made the last record I was no longer on XL, my old label, and I felt like I didn't know how to make a big pop record. I didn't know how to do the thing that everyone wanted me to do - which seemed like the only thing you could do on a major label," she explained.

The "Paper Planes" hitmaker has opened up about her style in the past, and she has compared herself to polarizing artists.

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Eminem Wins Artist of the Year at YouTube Awards

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Awards, Music Videos, Performances, Country, Dance, Electronic, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop,

Eminem was crowned Artist of the Year at the YouTube awards.

The 41-year-old rapper walked away with the gong at the ceremony held in New York City Sunday night, while Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" won the YouTube Phenomenon award. The Video of the Year award went to the South Korean girl band Girls' Generation for their song, "I Got A Boy," while DeStorm Power received the Innovation of the Year prize. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis received the Breakthrough of the Year gong for their new anthem "Same Love."

Jason Schwartzman and musician Reggie Watts were presiding the first ever YouTube ceremony, which featured artists such as Lady Gaga and M.I.A making live music videos directed by the awards' creator Spike Jonze. The event, which was streamed live on the video sharing website, saw Lady Gaga perform her new single "Dope" for the first time.

Nominees were selected by the amount of YouTube views, likes, comments and subscription figures for different artists.

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MIA: I’m Madonna and Johnny Rotten

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Gossip, Alternative, Electronic, Hip-Hop & Rap,

M.I.A. believes she is a cross between Madonna and Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten.

The "Paper Planes" hitmaker - real name Mathangi Arulpragasam - says as an artist she is like the "Material Girl" singer as she can create all different types of music, but she has a rebellious side like punk rocker Rotten, real name John Lydon.

"People come up to me and say, 'Oh my God it's a thin line, you could either be Madonna or Jonny Rotten' ... I'm both, that's what it is," she said in an interview with UK station BBC Radio 1.

M.I.A. has previously collaborated with Madonna on the track "Give Me All Your Luvin" on her 2012 album MDNA. However, their relationship was soured when M.I.A. caused controversy by flipping her middle finger at a camera their performance at the Super Bowl XLVI NFL half-time show in February 2012, an action Madonna described as "negative" and "out of place."

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M.I.A. Album Is ‘Too Positive’

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Upcoming Releases, Hip-Hop & Rap,

M.I.A.'s new album was delayed for being "too positive."

The "Bad Girls" singer claims she had completed her fourth record, Matangi, months ago, but her record company weren't happy and told her to "darken it up a bit."

"I thought I'd finished it. I finished it and then I handed the record in, like a couple of months ago. [They said] 'We just built you up as the public enemy number one and now you're coming out with all this positive stuff,'" she said.

The singer - born Mathangi Arulpragasam in Sri Lanka - said the album will be released over New Year in her homeland. "It's due in April, which is the Tamil New Year - April 15th - and I'm still working on it," she added.

When asked if she will adhere to her record company's demands and make the album darker, she said, "I'm taking my time to decide what they mean."

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M.I.A. to Give Free Concert in New York

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Concerts / Tours, Performances, Dance, Electronic,

New York-area residents will be the recipients of a free show next month—courtesy of M.I.A.

The “Paper Planes” performer will be footing the bill for the event to be held at the Brooklyn Bowl.

Attendance for the concert will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Only those 18 and over will be allowed entry.

The show will be held on October 6.

Read More | Hollywood Reporter

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M.I.A. Taking a Total Departure

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Upcoming Releases, Dance, Electronic,

M.I.A.‘s new album will be “a total departure” from her established sound.

Producer Diplo, who collaborated with M.I.A. (real name Maya Arulpragasam) on her breakthrough single “Paper Planes,” promises he has drawn from a well of diverse musical influences to create tracks for the Sri Lankan born singer’s third album. “On the new record I’ve just done for her - which might be the single - I sampled a bunch of gospel-y, old-school, Alabama, weird, Sacred Harp singers,” he said.

“It’s turning into an Animal Collective kind of record, which represents a total departure from what you would expect from her, but that’s where her head was at. She just had a baby so she was on this elated mood. With her it’s always sort of random, whatever you think was not going to be productive - that recording ended up being a really s****y demo and then it turned into a big song.”

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Alicia Keys Would Like Kings of Leon Collaboration

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Collaborations, Gossip, Alternative, Electronic, R&B / Soul,

Alicia Keys - who teamed with Jay-Z on “Empire State of Mind” - has named a few other artists she’d like to collaborate with.

“Working with other people is definitely something I want to do more of. I love it a lot. It takes me out of my element into a whole other world. I’d love to collaborate with Kings Of Leon and M.I.A. I think would be crazy,” she said.

Alicia has previously worked with Whitney Houston, co-writing her hit single “Million Dollar Bill,” and Jack White on the James Bond theme “Another Way To Die.”

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MIA comes out of retirement, lays down “Shells”

Posted by Seth Combs Categories: Dance, Electronic, Pop, Free Music Downloads,

In case you haven’t heard, MIA is not retired as she previously announced. Good thing too, I would hate to get my MIA fill by ordering everything in her clothing line. How Many Votes Fix Mix, her latest EP, is worth the $2.49 with just the Boyz track, but now you get an extra bonus with Shells. You don’t even have to pay for this track so you have no excuse - download Shells, listen, loop it 10 times, then tell us what you think in the comments.

Read More | NYU Local

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