M.I.A.

Released: November 15, 2013

Songwriter: Doc McKinney M.I.A.

Producer: Doc McKinney

[Verse 1]
Let me take the time to tell you
I already know whats on your mind
I wanna stick around and make you
Understand I didn’t commit crime
But you keep on thinking it’s
In some other chick
Makes me feel I’m better off
Goin' on a trip
You keep on thinking it’s
In some other bitch
That makes me wanna leave
And never call up 'til I’m rich

[Hook]
What you want come see me
I got bootleg love for free
I got Abdul in a taxi and
He’ll drop you down for free
Natsumi and Tsunami
They make love like origami
They put a flower on the lover
Give it good licky lick what
Good licky lick, good licky lick
We know it ain't right but we do it anyway

[Verse 2]
I think I wanna get a little active
There’s more to this than being your captive
New directions might need a little practice
I can make it a little less destructive
You putting guards up
Outside my shop
Get me with your swat what
And it don’t it don't stop
You putting guards up
Outside my shop
Get me with your swat what
And it don’t it don't stop

[Interlude]
Ay, ay, ay

[Hook]

[Outro]
We do it anyway, but we do it anyway (2x)

One of the most musically-diverse and perplexing artists of the 2000s, Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam is arguably the decade’s best representation of Hip-Hop in its truest form and artistry in its broadest, most diverse format. Her lyrics are as political as Public Enemy, her sound is more eclectic than Stankonia-era Outkast, and she is as aesthetically-driven as Kanye West.

The road that M.I.A. was forced to travel to international stardom was not an easy one. Born on July 18th, 1975 in Hounslow, West London to Sri-Lankan Tamil immigrants, she moved to her parents' homeland when she was only six months old. However, it was the Sri Lankan Civil War which came to shape her childhood. During her formative years, she witnessed many her father was hunted as an enemy of the state, her schools were bombarded, and her impoverished family was constantly in hiding. In 1986, her family moved back to London to find stability and a sense of relative peace.

In England, she discovered her artistic talents and completed several years of secondary education in fine art – eventually gaining attention as a visual artist, painter, and musician. In the early-2000s, Maya began to seriously explore her musical talents and used the internet and underground radio as the means to build her reputation as a unique and talented firebrand. Amidst her no-nonsense politics, however, critics from around the world heard a talent in the making.

more tracks from the album

Matangi

From the album

Matangi (2013)

M.I.A. popular songs

Know It Ain’t RightM.I.A.

M.I.A.

Matangi