M.I.A. Accused Of Supporting Terrorists By Sri Lankan Rapper

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Site Last Updated: 7:22 PM EDT, December 3, 2008	Make BallerStatus Your Homepage

Published: Wednesday - August 6, 2008
Words by Allen Starbury

M.I.A. (Photo: Getty Images)

British rapper M.I.A., who is of Sri Lankan descent, is being accused of supporting terrorists, despite denying those accusations in the past.

In a 2005 interview with Australian paper The Age, M.I.A. (real name: Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam) says, "I've heard lots of people say that I'm part of a terrorist group and I'm singing about that, and singing songs for them, but that's wack, I'd never do that."

Another Sri Lankan hip-hop artist by the name of DeLon doesn't agree. In a YouTube video posted in late July, which remixes M.I.A.'s track "Paper Planes," DeLon claims that the British rapper used imagery from the Liberation Tiger Tamils of Eelam (LTTE), a Sri Lankan terrorist group.

DeLon's version re-cuts M.I.A. version with Tamil Tiger bombings and child soldiers, and openly questions whether M.I.A. supports terrorists. DeLon notes that M.I.A. consistently uses tigers in imagery -- on clothes, in videos -- and that M.I.A. has called her father a "freedom fighter."

A little back-story: Her father is credited as a co-founder of a militant pro-Tamil group called EROS, which, in turn, was once linked to the Tamil Tigers. The Tigers have been labeled a terrorist group by many countries, including the United States.

"In the video, we didn't really accuse her of being a Tamil Tiger," Marshall Shen, head of DeLon's record label, Ceylon, told E!. "But we're asking, why she is putting these images out there if she doesn't support them?"

DeLon's video is no longer available on YouTube. Interscope served the rapper with a cease-and-desist, claiming the video endangers "M.I.A.'s reputation as a freedom fighter."

In response, DeLon and his label has filed a lawsuit against Interscope/UMG for infringement of his First Amendment rights.

The video is available for download at Public.Me.Com.

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COMMENTS (37)

martin apuhamy Says:
Thursday - August 28, 2008 at 2:27am

well done "Maya" Arulpragasam ltte = tamils so ltte not a terroriste keep it up god bless you dont care any wolf we are tigers martin

Billy also Says:
Wednesday - August 13, 2008 at 9:45am

Satire u dumb fuckers. she doesn't support terrorists

Billy Says:
Wednesday - August 13, 2008 at 9:41am

Actually, I will deny that she is involved in the LTTE. There is a literary and lyrical device called satire, which M.I.A. clearly uses in much of her work. Do you really think she wants to shoot and murder people, while often working in small villages and supporting third world countries?

cjanap Says:
Monday - August 11, 2008 at 9:42pm

This woman is simply helping the deadliest terrorist group which supported al qaeda to attack newyork on 911! send her out of US!

CanadianTamil Says:
Sunday - August 10, 2008 at 5:37pm

Hello B. Jayanathan So you acknowledge that Tamils have been facing genocide in Srilanka. What is your problem with M.I.A's music. I guess you don't have any artistic talent to enjoy her rocking music. Some people like you with anti-Tamil agenda misinterpreting her music.

B. Jayanathan Says:
Saturday - August 9, 2008 at 4:04am

MIA – U shit. I travelled over 200KM from Bermen to see Ur gig in Berlin Germany. YOU DID GLORIFY THE FUCKING LTTE TERRORIST ON YOUR SHOW!!!! YES YOU STUPID DID IT!!! I was ashamed of my self as a Tamil after your stupid gig. Father 2 EROS supporter. We left SL coz of the bloody LTTE. I was very small then but I stil got gud memories. 20 years we live near Bremen, cant visit Vawunia my failys birth place. FUCK U & da LTTE ! You father have betrayed the EROS. A U paid by da fucking LTTE to Promote them ? Does da LTTE have invested in your record company ?U Ur Dad & and ur bloody record company are opportunists using the Tamil problem created by the fucking LTTE to make money. I hope that Ur fucking performance will be banned by som Anti Terror authority sun each time U try to make money our of the Tamil peoples couse. Hope U & Ur record company gos bankcrop very sun.

myself dude Says:
Friday - August 8, 2008 at 9:41am

m.i.a is not a freedom fighter, she supports terrorism. how would you feel about an artist who supports osama bin laden? we here in sri lanka who have lost many friends and relatives because of the l.t.t.e do not find her very appealling. good work delon. thank you for exposing what m.i.a is really is.

DA TRUTH Says:
Friday - August 8, 2008 at 9:34am

M.I.A USES THE IMAGE OF THE LTTE AND TALKS ABOUT THEM IN HER LYRICS. SHE IS NOT THE VOICE OF SRI LANKAN PEOPLE, NO SRI LANKAN IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD SUPPORT HER. I AM A TAMIL MYSELF BUT I AM ASHAMED AT WHAT M.I.A IS DOING. THE LTTE ARE NOT FREEDOM FIGHTER, THEY ARE POWER HUNGRY MANIACS WHO DON'T MIND KILLING THEIR OWN KIND TO GET POWER. DELON IS DOING THE RIGHT THING. PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT M.I.A PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT TERRORISM

Shame on Sinhalese Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 1:39pm

In Srilanka Sinhalese oppress Tamils people. Now Singhalese are trying same method to tarnish Tamils image in world. Singhalese are trying to taint MIA's image simply because she is being Tamil and pure envious.

Roshan Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 12:13am

DeLon’s video is illustrating the covert support MIA is giving to the Tamil terrorist organisation. This is what DeLon has exposed: the lies, manipulations and crimes of these so called "freedom fighters" and their closet supporters, which is very damaging hence the hurried and over zealous efforts to silence him. Whats sad and pathetic is that while MIA enjoyed a great childhood growing up in the West (contrary to popular belief she has in fact spent her entire life in the West) as well as enjoying all the comforts the West provides (can a Tamil youth in the LTTE controlled Wanni "Free State" reach success by singing? Answer: No. Reason: He/she will be taken out of school from the age they can carry a gun and be conscripted as a child soldier to go die on some FDL or be sent as cannon fodder as a shrapnel sponge) she is trying to profiteer from the suffering of her OWN people and contributes to it through her disgusting promotion method.

Roshan Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 12:08am

MIA has shamefully given herself some fake history to prop up her music (and get more $$$) amongst the Tamil Diaspora and the West who love to help "little brown people who suffer" -well the ones who claim to "suffer" because they yell, scream, beat their chests day in day out mourning about "discrimination" and "genocide" so obviously if they make so much noise, its got to be true! Crying and rolling around on the floor at some immigration desk in some Western country is enough of a show to fool the Western immigration officer that this display is so real! You get emotional and it blinds you from logical reasoning or the desire to scrutinise and double check what is being said. Kind of like MIAs music and videos, which send a covert message of support to Tamil terrorists, by portraying them as "freedom fighters" while varnishing up their disgusting atrocities people like MIA give a secret nod to.

Roshan Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 12:07am

MIA is no different to the rest of the Tamil Diaspora in the West who peddle claims about "suffering, genocide and discrimination" like they experienced it just yesterday, all of which is designed to gain sympathy and support. Why? MONEY! Many Tamils spread wonderful fairy tales so that they can seek asylum in the West. Sri Lanka is a third world country, thus any job in the West (even being a beggar) pays a 1000x more than in Sri Lanka. They are economic refugees looking for a better quality of life. They come to Western countries screaming “discrimination” and upon arrival they immediately start to cheat social benefit systems and carry out credit cards scams and other criminal activities to fund the LTTE so as to continue the war in Sri Lanka enabling them to stay long enough to get permanent residency.

Boki Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 11:59am

M.I.A. is the BEST! Stop making rumours that she's a terrorist! Cause she's not! Rock on M.I.A. :D

drezz Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 6:48am

she might be supporting terrorist, this is probably what she knows she's not from america and most people overseas don't have the same culture that we have. So it is what it is but I wouldn't buy her album not even boot leg her agenda isn't my agenda and most likely as females she has nothing in common with me so whatever. Oh yeah the word cracker is fair game, the word nigga is used everyday so why not the word cracker.

AcEEE Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 4:51am

well yeah she does use imagery connected to the terorist outfit and i read that her dad's a part of the terorist group. DeLon do yah thing mayn. I dnt appreciate terrorism. da LTTE FUKS UP ALL PPL IN SRI LANKA. y is UMG trynna hide d truth?

cracker Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 4:42am

Hey, you calling whites crackers and say that you aren't racist? Luckily, we whites think "crackers" is pretty funny. I guess being nicknamed after a piece of food is better than piece of something else I can think of. You guys slay me, sitting there mouthing off while helpless people in poorer countries are being slaughtered... and that's okay? You continue to support someone no matter what they stand for, just because you happen to like their hateful music? What message does that send the kids? Its mostly the young who idolize MIA... certainly no one over the age of 25 (if they have any brains and decency)... so again, what kind of message does that send the kids? That terrorism is cool? That its the hip thing to be "into"? Its because of sick fools that we even have terrorism. Get your heads out of the dark places and wake up. Peace doesn't have to be just a passe cliche.

Nille Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 4:42am

MIA should stick to her music, and not engage in any propaganda for the LTTE. She is looking good and has a cool style but if she really wants to do something good for the tamils, she should promote love and harmony between them and the sinhalese - not hatred. Any progress in the country needs both communities to join hands.

MIA FAN Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 4:34am

Way to go MIA. As a Eelam Tamil we support you. Your songs are unique! Keep up the good work.

Sid Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 3:44am

MIA can stand for what you belive in. This is not sri Lanka where you get killed for what you belive in by terrorists government LTTE are freedom fighters

Tamil from south Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 3:27am

DeLon is typical sinhalees. Let tamil work hard and save then we steal from them with the protection from security forces/ministry.If he is a true artist he will not bother whether MIA support tererist or not he will prove his talent on music than try to steal the name by tarnishing another. He should not behave like tru sinhalees and wait to steal from tamil.

Sam Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 3:04am

It's disgusting how M.I.A uses terrorism and a terror group as her inspiration. I've already dumped her album in the bin!

Arul Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 12:50am

M.I.A. is a mad woman. As a srilankan tamil I am ashamed of her. People like her father has created enough problems for srilankan tamils.This blood thirsty woman doesn't know what she's talking. If it isn't for people like them we can live very happyly with sinhalese people. We have all these problems due to stupid people like these & for the politicians.MIA, don't try to do things what you dont even know about

Godaya Says:
Thursday - August 7, 2008 at 12:28am

this so called third grade rapper from UK is a typical second or third generation brain washed product of LTTE Terrorism. MIA has never stepped in SL and does not know what jaffna or colombo looks like. Sinhalese, tamil and other ethnic groups live in peace and harmony in SL and we are all sick to death of this hatred and false propaganda by alien LTTE lovers.

sjane Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 11:22pm

What does interscope know about freedom fighting, they hear a bs story and they do not bother to investigate. either ltte is brainwashing them or holding them hostage. MO of the ltte is very much present in m i a videos and every action she has taken has been to glorify the killing and right to kill in the name of freedom fighting and freedom to express. Where does it say that expression is using suicide bombings on civilians, recruiting child soldiers, and promoting their agenda thru people like m i a to gain trust of people who do not know and gain blood money to kill more people. delon has guts to confront the terrorists who keep people from saying anything because of fear.

Sri Lankan Tamil Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 11:11pm

DeLON, ANOTHER TAMIL HATER, A BLATANT RACIST, like his colleagues in Southern Sri Lanka, can't stand Tamils prospering. He is a tool of the Sri Lankan Sinhala government, who is perpetrating genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Mani Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 10:36pm

Full support to MIA. We need 1000 more MIAs to expose Lanka's state terrorism.

O2 Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 9:47pm

Oh Bull shit! MIA support people of Sri Lanka? I'm Sri Lankan and those who care comment should first come down here and see for themselves how peeps of all races live in harmony in the West & South. Yes the West & South is predominantly Sinhalese. Tamils, Muslims and others are minority but they get on man! They live together, work together and freaking die together in LTTE Terrorist bombs!So MIA ain't speaking for no people of Sri Lanka.She's the voice for a Globally banned terrorist group who have links with that MoFo Osama and his band of death mongrels! And just for the record! I ain't heard of no freedom fighter who used kids and human shields to die for them or blow up innocent civilians. The ones I've read about, William Wallace, Che Guevara, MalcomX, Mandela, Dr. King Jnr, Gandhi, list can go on.. they all protected their people, fought to make their lives better, lived and died FOR the people. So I don't know about ya'll, to me a terrorist and freedom fighter is as clear as black and white

SpaceMan Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 9:27pm

Is UMG trying to hide something?

Amsterdamn Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 8:36pm

MIA has real talent and she users it , you will know if you had to be chased out of your house and country when you are 8 years old .

Hip Hop Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 8:01pm

This is Hip-Hop! A movement of truth and rap that educates, enough of the shit we hear on the radio today! Who knew that this bitch is a fuckin terrorist? Controversy, Diss Videos, kinda sends you back a little bit..

joy Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 7:33pm

Is this really true??? I watched the video and looked at her pictures again an it is really scary!

TamilSL Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 7:31pm

It takes alot of balls for DeLon to do this! About time!! Somebody needed to do this! As a fellow Tamil, Sri Lankan, I couldn't help but to be proud, yet, at the same time disgusted with her! She flagrantly uses LTTE images in her videos, images and lyrics! Until your family is affected by this world, you ignorant supporters of her will never understand the damage she is causing to Tamils, Sri Lankans and Terrorism alike!! Her songs are used as rally calls for the LTTE army before they invade Hindu temples and kill!!! See for yourselves, just google it. Bravo, DeLon! Good work, you give me a new Sri Lankan to be proud of!

Philly-O Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 3:10pm

Let me quote the article..."Another Sri Lankan hip-hop artist by the name of DeLon...", sounds like he's Sri Lankan to me.

Laura Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 3:09pm

No, DeLon is from Los Angeles.

Philly-O Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 3:04pm

But DeLon, who is makin the accusations, is also from Sri Lanka. Just a point y'all seem to be missin'.

quixotic Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 2:40pm

freedom fighters ..terrorist its all relative to who side ur on, MIA supports the people of sri lanka, and who ever fight for the people

AZUL Says:
Wednesday - August 6, 2008 at 2:12pm

WHO THESE CRACKERS CALLING Terrorists THEY MUCH Terrorists AS ANYBODY ELSE THEY KILL YA MILLION OTHER WAYS....THINK ABOUT IT....