Our June 9, 2008 post which was titled 'M.I.A: Diaspora in Action' spoke about M.I.A's politics and analysed some articles that appeared on the web about this. Now M.I.A is back under scrutiny with the release of DeLon's video version of her song 'Paper Planes'. Her excessive usage of LTTE and pro-violence symbols and her vagueness of lyrics really make her easy bait to criticism. Is M.I.A really trying to bring out her experience as part of the diaspora, struggling to establish her identity and to explain to the world the suffering of her peoples, is she a shrewd business woman making the 'cause' work for her or is she really an LTTE sympathiser looking at the conflict in Sri Lanka with a biased frame of mind?
As for DeLon, we hope that he can also provide us with a critical and satirical rendition of one of the many songs sung by our local Sri Lankan artistes glorifying the soldier and the use of violence in safeguarding the nation and its territorial integrity. In his video 'We Strugglin' he says 'I'm a king, a Lion, a Sinhalese', seemingly quite patriotic but really a very Sinhala-Nationalist sentiment. His concluding words on his version of 'Paper Planes' say that 'Sri Lanka wants Peace', but the sentiments he expresses through his own songs are not quite going to help the peace factor.
What do you think?
To watch DeLon's video version of 'Paper Planes' visit http://srilankantube.com/item/72YJRHBK94YN1B8C and for his video 'We Strugglin' visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJWS5K0HKVw
15 comments:
I think both are an equally pathetic attempt to use the ethnic conflict as a sellign point. MIA really has no idea what shes talking about and for that matter neither does Delon. Both are equally unproductive in providing any forward motion in sorting our issues oiut.
Thanks N for your comments. Unfortunately we cannot be that dismissive about both M.I.A and DeLon since they are using a powerful media to express themselves. I guess by making a bit of a fuss, they will at least not 'use' the conflict in SL for their benefit even if they do not provide a solution to it.
N, on what grounds do you conclude that "MIA really has no idea what shes (sic) talking about"?
As far as I know... she grew up in the north and has experienced the war first hand... not agreeing with her view does not mean she i smaking stuff up.
What Sean says is true. She grew up in SL and moved to India, returned again to SL and then moved to the UK with her mother. So she has a lot of experience of the war and its atrocities.
Is Delon really using ethnic conflict to sell -- or moving towards ethnic enlightenment through his music? I think it's about time somebody spoke up about this -- and I am not assuming or saying that anything is true, but the Delon Mia Diss video has created enough doubt in me to now want to patronize M.I.A's music -- for the simple reason of the presence of the tiger imagery. One should not play around with such heavy themes in music lyrics...
I agree with N. MIA has no ideia what's she's talking on her lyrics.
Sean, if she really knows what she's saying explain the paper planes lyrics to me, I would be appreciated!
"..weeds and bombs" (???) - I know that she's a pothead but bombs?Wanna start the next genocide?
"...some, some, some I, some I murder.
Some I, some I let go..." - WTF!!!!!??
Olive
We are sorry that we cannot publish your comment/ request. SahaSamvada hopes to be a neutral platform for an expression of views from the general public on current issues. We feel that the issue about M.I.A is not being addressed in an intelligent/progressive manner and that it is being hijacked by parties with hidden agendas. Your request seems to reflect this aspect.
lilacksy
*but the Delon Mia Diss video has created enough doubt in me to now want to patronize M.I.A's music*
did you meant to say ....created enough doubt in me to now NOT want to patronize....?
Jonny, am sorry we had to reject your comment too because it carried the same link that Olive was trying to publicize. This is what I said to Olive in relation to that specific link: *We feel that the issue about M.I.A is not being addressed in an intelligent/progressive manner and that it is being hijacked by parties with hidden agendas. Your request seems to reflect this aspect.*
Sorry Jonny, I hope you understand our need to maintain neutrality since we really do not have concrete evidence as to whether DeLon is talking facts or whether this is all a gimmick for self publicity.
MIA makes catchy, energetic music which I sometimes enjoy, but her politics are puerile, her hip-hop gangsta posturings are either ironic to the point of meaninglessness or if sincere, outright ridiculous. But at least "Paper Planes" is a catchy song, if you don't take the lyrics personally. Maybe at best we can consider it a very tentative exploration of what it feels like when the glorification of violence -a common theme in hip hop- gets mixed up with the (much less romantic) Sri Lankan experience of violence and the absolutely "either/or" tribal identities that many Sinhala and Tamil people adopt -the way you can see it as being both threatening and liberating in turns, depending on which perspective you adopt. But mostly, as politics if not as art, it's just as bad as DeLon. DeLon's talentless rantings, meanwhile, can't really be evaluated as art -it's not political art or art with a strong dose of propaganda (either of which MIA could be accused of, depending on how charitable you want to be), it is merely propaganda, and cheap, rehashed propaganda at that. See also the Pitchfork article on the "controversy" -which should be a tremendous embarassment to the Sri Lankan music scene, if any.
@lilacsky: "one should not play around with heavy themes in music lyrics"? That's ridiculous. Music, like all art, is a perfectly legitimate way to explore deep and meaningful themes. Just because MIA has failed to do this (and DeLon even more so) does not invalidate the entire idea in principle. Some day, someone will make a genuinely provocative piece of music on this subject. Or at least, we live in hope.
@sahasamvada: "Unfortunately we cannot be that dismissive about both M.I.A and DeLon since they are using a powerful media to express themselves." What does the medium have to do with it? It is art that has power, not media. We can be -and should be- dismissive about any art that has no depth and no power, and especially of propaganda masquerading as music. I expect that people will have differing opinions on whether both MIA and DeLon fall into this category, or only DeLon does.
Thanks for your comments, Moreig. I feel that the medium of music is very powerful in its ability to attract the masses. Despite the fact that there are many people out there who can recognise the 'art' or the 'lack of art', these artistes go a long way when it comes to influencing popular culture.
I also read your post on this matter. It was an absolutely concise and interesting assessment.
Hey
Nice site and effort. commendable on trying to find a solution to Sri Lanka though I do not know much about the situation.
The picture on the right of Hindu sadhus has left me confused though. I have heard of Buddhist monks invlolved in ultra nationalistic activity in Sri Lanka but the picture shows HIndu monks. Never knew about Hindu monks involved in extremism in Sri LAnka. I thought the conflict is based on ethnic identity not religious ones. correct me if I am wrong.Though I do realise Sinhala nationalism is partly fulelled by Budhist nationalism I didnt realise it is the main problem there.
Dear Heyho
The W'IN'DOW section is for random photos/ images that may or may not be directly linked to the Sri Lankan conflict but definitely to the wider conflict/caste issues plaguing South Asia. You are right about your understanding of this particular aspect of the Sri Lankan conflict. Thankfully the Hindu priests have not become involved in the conflict like the Buddhist priests who have a major part in fueling chauvinistic-nationalistic feelings.
Thank you for your comments regarding our blog. We hope that you will engage with us in the future with your valuable comments and encourage us to continue our efforts.
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/20/a-genocide-inquiry/
m.i.a does provoke but not about tigers, she includes everyone form everywhere, $20 track on kala is about rebels in liberia not sri lanka , "jimmy" has lyrics about darfur, so i think people who are ignorant about her music who doesn't have the capacity to analyze her mashed up music from all corners of the planet should not make vast general comment like " she has a shot of a elephant and a lion and a tiger in her video there for she is a tiger!" thats like saying anyone wearing a keffiyeh means u are an islamics terrorist wtf?
then delone might as well say
i think her being a tamil is enough to be persicuted in society.
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