M.I.A. is as politically driven as an artist can get and her outspoken views early in her career allegedly got her dissed by the queen of media, Oprah Winfrey.
While speaking to Rolling Stone in concurrence with the 10-year anniversary of her debut album Arular, M.I.A. recalled meeting Winfrey at Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World Gala in 2009 and being shunned despite getting a cool photo-op.
It all began when M.I.A (real name Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam) approached the famed talk show host about her lack of coverage of the turmoil in Sri Lanka and she didn’t get her to buckle to her demands.
“‘Hey, people are gonna f***ing die in my country. Like, please pay attention,’” she claimed. “And she was like, ‘You’re s**t because you were rude to Lady Gaga and I’m not talking to you. And I’m gonna interview Tom Cruise jumping on my sofa, so f**k off.’”
Embed from Getty ImagesShe continues, “She shut me down. She took that photo of me, but she was just like, ‘I can’t talk to you because you’re crazy and you’re a terrorist. And I’m like, ‘I’m not. I’m a Tamil and there are people dying in my country and you have to like look at it because you’re f*****g Oprah and every American told me you’re going to save the world.’”
According to theGrio, reps for Winfrey have responded to these allegations. Even though they probably never will, gotta hear both sides.
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Photo: WENN
