M.I.A., and other artists with Political Orientations

[Nikhil]

http://www.chapatimystery.com/archives/better_with_tablas/dancehall_insurgency_tiger_style.html


This are very serious allegations. For those who don't know, M.I.A. is an artist of the punk/electronica/trip hop genre of the United Kingdom. Her music is "eh" in my opinion, and for the longest time I thought she was really incoherent from drug use. But apparently, she seems to have one helluva political agenda.
She is the daughter of one of the heads of the Liberation of Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a radical freedom fighting group in Sri Lanka that fights for independence of Tamils - by violence.

Given the latest release by Nas and his political stance, I want to know when you think Artist's cross the line. Music is about spreading some sort of message, whether it be abstract or very concrete. The creation of which is based on the concept of free speech, but is this free speech, or costly subliminal messaging?

Whenever I see M.I.A., I can't believe what she's all about. I kind of laugh it off because I can't take her seriously, but now I'm not so sure I can do that!

 

[dheerja]

Every person has an opinion and, at least in this country, has the right to express that opinion, regardless of its controversial nature. I personally think music has been an excellent venue for artists to broadcast their views through a universal and accessible medium. Their right to express these views should not be affected by whether or not we personally agree with them. Although I don't agree with a lot of M.I.A.'s political discourse, as a listener I do understand and respect the fact that she uses her music as a venue for political expression. It's up to the listener to form educated opinions from the information they receive, and it is not our place to censor what is put out there.

 

[Arjun Barua]

Singer MIA denies terror support

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7549472.stm