Sri Lankan rapper, MIA banned from entering US

"Roger Roger do you hear me. Over. The US immigration won't let me in!"

Controversial rapper MIA, born Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam was denied a visa to enter the US, because of the controversial lyrics on her latest album.

As a protest to this ban MIA posted a message, titled "They try to shut my door!," on her website, in which she wrote: "Roger Roger do you hear me over the US immigration won't let me in!"

The rapper, born in Sri-Lanka was supposed to work with American producer Timbaland on her upcoming album, but it seems this wont be possible anymore.

"I'm locked out they wont let me in...for now I'll keep reporting from the sidelines, to my people who walk wiv me in the America, don't forget we got the internet!," MIA added in her slang.

Sources speculate that the real reasons for the ban to enter US are MIA's controversial lyrics, who supposedly support the Sri Lankan political group Tamil Tigers.

The nature of MIA's art work and lyrics has led to increased curiosity into her career and levels of censorship of her work. MIA.'s official website has been visited by a curious US Government numerous times; MTV still refuses to play the video of her single - Sunshowers.

M.I.A. has however previously stated in an interview about censorship of her work:

"From Day One, this has been a mad, crazy thing: I say the things I'm not supposed to say, I look wrong, my music doesn't sound comfortable for any radio stations or genres, people are having issues with my videos when they're not rude or explicit or crazy controversial. I find it all really funny."

Who is M.I.A?

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, the daughter of a Tamil activist-turned-revolutionary-guerrilla, Arul Pragasam was born in Hounslow, London. When she was six months old, her family moved back to Sri Lanka.

Motivated by his wish to support the Tamil efforts to win independence from the majority Sinhalese population, her father became politically known as Arular and was a founding member of The Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS), a militant Tamil group.

Her alias, "M.I.A." stands for "Missing in Action. She says her alias refers to both her London neighbourhood and her politically tumultuous youth.

It was in the late 80s, on a notoriously racist council estate in Mitcham, Surrey, that an eleven-year-old Arulpragasam began to learn the English language.

Here she was exposed to Western radio for the first time, hearing broadcasts emanating from her neighbours' flats. Her affinity for hip-hop and rap began from there.

The uncompromising attitudes of Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shante and N.W.A. clicked with a frustrated, energetic war-child trying to relate to grey and foreign surroundings.

"Those records were rhythmic, so whether you understood the language or not, you could understand the music," she now says.

Quotes of M.I.A

For the first ten years of my life I was the underdog and those images were relevant, and now I'm an overdog and those images are exactly what poses a threat to my environment.

I got hit round the face by music in the year 2002 and I looked around and that's what I found - my cousin died as a Tiger in Sri Lanka and I'm worried about being gassed on the tube. I'm just making connections.

Fighting Talk interview, April 22nd, 2005 by Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian

I haven't heard honesty in music for so long and this is how I feel, and this is what I think. You don't even have to say words ... I was just being as raw as possible. I wanted to make music that you felt in your gut.

Tiger, tiger burning bright interview, January 27th 2005 by Joshua Ostroff, Eye Weekly When I saw what Justine did musically and what Peaches did musically, working together in a room, that is when I went, 'Oh, there is a spectrum to music and the way you make it, and you don't have to know everything.'

That gave me an insight into thinking about how to do it myself.

M.I.A. takes on the world with her explosive rap interview, September 23rd, 2005 by Jim Derogatis, Chicago-Sun Times

Yes, it [the album Arular] could be about George Bush, but if you wanted it to be about how you felt about your landlord, it could be that too. If you wanted it to be about sex, it could be that too.

Talking about her revolution interview, June 17th, 2005 by Peter Shapiro, The Times I feel the reason why I'm really like outspoken and stuff is because all of these things were inflicted upon me, and I never went and caused any trouble, you know? I just feel like I was kind of skipping along in some country and somebody decides to drop a bomb and shake up my life and then it's all been survival from then on.

And that's the reality for thousands - and millions - of people today. Why should I get censored for talking about a life that half the time I didn't choose to live?

London Calling - For Congo, Columbo, Sri Lanka interview, May 6th, 2005 by Robert Wheaton, PopMatters.