M.I.A. and Diplo will probably be intrinsically linked forever, not just because they dated for a time, but because he’s listed as the producer of some of her biggest songs ever, including her breakthrough single “Paper Planes.” Even with that connection, M.I.A. took to Instagram to make one thing very clear after recent comments from her former boyfriend and producer, Diplo did not “discover” her in any way, shape or form. “This is the first story of a brown female musician who smashed it for the first time,” she said in a lengthy Instagram post. “That didn’t happen because I accidentally walked passed Diplo.”
The post is attached to a video of Diplo talking about how he found M.I.A. at a party in London, but she says it’s the other way around, she discovered Dip at a party where she approached him. She goes on to divulge more details of their relationship, including his infidelity, and even revealed that she put her political opinions over music in her life despite his disdain for politics in music at all. “To this day so many people have made careers off me and the same people distort history destroy the story because of my politics,” she says in the post. “I let him cash in on the sound because I had no choice. I felt it was important to defend freedom of speech, even for American people and couldn’t play the game.”
It’s a strong statement from the Sri Lankan singer, rapper, songwriter producer and activist, as she refuses to back down from Diplo and she even points out that “so many people have made careers off” her and takes credit for the formation of Major Lazer. Check out M.I.A.’s entire statement below.
I just want to clear this up
Here’s a lil story of how this happened.
I discovered diplo because Steve Mackey played me a song by him released on big dada! I found out on a “flyer” he was djing and spent 16 pounds and bought my own way into fabric club in London . No one put me on the list! Nobody paid for it! I approached him and gave him my record! There was no label no A N R no channels. a handful of people believed in me , then when I got a deal , they turned on me. This was why i forged my own path and style and genre. I didn’t want anyone to say they made me!
To this day so many people have made careers off me and the same people distort history destroy the story because of my politics , which he played a part in cementing. He said “politics is a terrible thing for music”in 2010 in the NYT article .
During this time when 400 000 Tamil were getting bombed to death , he used to have a dart board of my face on his rider . Jus sayin . “He text me “you’re walking backwards into a brick wall” when the NYT article came out. While I was defending privacy laws with a newborn baby like it’s me against the world. No one came to my shows during this time because of that article and racist memes mad decent were spreading through hipsters.
I let him cash in on the sound because I had no choice. I felt it was important to defend freedom of speech, even for American people and couldn’t play the game.
Everyone involved in major lazer now came together through me. I made boyz in Jamaica and Trinidad. I took switch there carried beers up the mountain everyday . Wes wasn’t there because he was cheating on me in Brazil at the time.
he turned up a year later and networked in JA saying he produced BOYZ coz the song blew in Jamaica. Walshy was the directors roommate and Chris was my day to day in Trinidad. it’s important you don’t see me as a Iil thing diplo discovered because I’m a brown woman , and this is the first story of a brown female musician who smashed it for the first time . That didn’t happen because I accidentally walked passed diplo. Ta!
