M.I.A. sparked controversy in Dallas on Saturday while performing as the opening act on Kid Cudi's Rebel Ragers Tour. During a bizarre rant, the artist pledged her allegiance to the Republican Party, while also insinuating that some of the audience members might be undocumented immigrants.
Her musings went viral for all the wrong reasons, and Kid Cudi subsequently took action. He issued a statement claiming he had warned M.I.A. before the tour to stay away from politics. She violated a core boundary for the tour, and it got her kicked off the billing.
“TOUR UPDATE: M.I.A is no longer on this tour. I told my management to send a notice to her team before we started tour that I didn’t want anything offensive at my shows, cuz I already knew what time it was, and I was assured things were understood. After the last couple shows, I’ve been flooded with messages from fans that were upset by her rants. This, to me, is very disappointing, and I wont have someone on my tour making offensive remarks that upsets my fanbase. Thank you for understanding. Rager.”
On Tuesday evening, M.I.A. took to social media with a lengthy retort. In her response, she claims that by "illegal," she simply meant members of her team who have yet to get their work VISAs.
M.I.A. Claps Back
Furthermore, M.I.A. had some harsh words for Kid Cudi and the political climate at large. She believes she is being silenced, and that she has no interest in cancel culture, or what she believes is a "virtue signal era."
“I WROTE ILLYGAL ON THE MAYA LP A SONG FROM 2010. I STARTED THIS INTRO TO THE SONG WITH THE STATEMENT SAYING I’M ILLYGAL, AND I SAID MY TEAM HASN’T GOTTEN VISAS YET. THEN PLAYED A SONG THAT HAD LYRICS SAYING “FU&% THE LAW”, WHICH I STILL BELIEVE, IF THE LAW IS UNJUST F@%& IT. DO NOT GASLIGHT MY WORDS. THAT IS THE WORK OF SATAN. I WROTE BORDERS AND ILLYGAL AND PAPER PLANES BEFORE YOU THOUGHT IMMIGRANT RIGHTS WERE COOL. I’VE HAD THSES BATTLES BY MYSELF WITHOUT THE HELP OF MILLIONS OF FANS BACKING ME . I DON’T NEED THIS VIRTUE SIGNAL ERA TO ALL OF A SUDDEN ERASE AN ENTIRE LIFE I’VE LED. JESUS WAS AN IMMIGRANT AND A REBEL. I HAVE NO APPOLGY FOR THE JUDGEMENTAL THE WICKED AND THE IGNORENT, FOR THOSE ARE SPIRITS THAT WE MUST OVER COME IN OUR LIVES AND IN THIS WORLD. JESUS RETURNS TO LEAD THE WORLD JUSTLY BECAUSE THERE IS INJUSTICE IN THIS WORLD . IM PROUD OF THOSE WHO FIGHT FOR IT EVERYDAY. GOD BLESS YOU. 🙏🏽 GO LISTEN TO M.I.7.”
At this point, it is clear that her working relationship with Kid Cudi is officially over.
