British singer M.I.A. has been removed from Kid Cudi's U.S. tour following a controversial rant at one of his recent concerts. The artist, whose real name is Mathangi Arulpragasam, was fired after a series of 'offensive remarks' made during her performance in Dallas on May 2.
Incident Details
During the show, M.I.A. told the audience she had been 'cancelled' for promoting her political views. Born in London and raised partly in Sri Lanka, she stated: 'I never thought I would be cancelled for being a brown Republican voter.' In videos captured at the event, she was booed when she mentioned she could not play her song 'Illegal' because it could apply to some audience members.
'Illegal' was written from the perspective of a refugee fleeing violence and persecution, reflecting M.I.A.'s own upbringing in London as the child of Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka, where she experienced poverty and racism. She said: 'Can't do Illegal, but some of you could be in the audience. I'm illegal. Half of my team are not here because they didn't get the visa. So don't listen to what the bots say on the internet. Once you are this, you always will be. We should be above politics.'
Kid Cudi's Response
Following the incident, Kid Cudi, real name Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, revealed he had been inundated with demands to fire her from his Rebel Ragers Tour. He wrote on Instagram: 'M.I.A is no longer on this tour. I told my management to send a notice to her team before we started tour that I didn't want anything offensive at my shows, cuz I already knew what time it was, and I was assured things were understood.' He added: 'After the last couple shows, I've been flooded with messages from fans that were upset by her rants. This, to me, is very disappointing, and I won't have someone on my tour making offensive remarks that upsets my fanbase.'
M.I.A.'s Political Shift
While M.I.A. was previously anti-Trump, after the Covid pandemic she seemingly shifted and began endorsing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump before the last election. In 2024, she wrote on social media: 'Trump is going to ride America through the most challenging 4 years coming pulling out weed, and RFK will inherit America when God is ready to replant and rebuild it righteously.'
M.I.A.'s Defense
Hours after the firing, M.I.A. wrote on X in all caps: 'I wrote 'ILLYGAL' on the MAYA LP, a song from 2010. I started the intro to the song with the statement saying I'm 'illygal,' and I said my team hadn't gotten visas yet. Then I played a song with lyrics saying 'F*** the law,' which I still believe—if the law is unjust, f*** it. Do not gaslight my words. That is the work of Satan.' She continued: 'I wrote 'Borders,' 'ILLYGAL,' and 'Paper Planes' before you thought immigrant rights were cool. I've fought these battles by myself, without the help of millions of fans backing me. I don't need this virtue-signaling era to suddenly erase an entire life I've lived.' She added: 'Jesus was an immigrant and a rebel. I have no apology for the judgemental, the wicked, and the ignorant, for those are spirits that we must overcome in our lives and in this world. Jesus returns to lead the world justly because there is injustice in this world. I'm proud of those who fight for it every day. God bless you. Go listen to 'M.I.A. 7.''
M.I.A., who rose to prominence in 2008 with her song 'Paper Planes,' returned to the UK as a refugee during the Sri Lankan civil war as a child. She has been repeatedly controversial for her outspoken political views on war, immigration, and religion, along with provocative performances, criticism of governments and media, and statements that critics have at times labelled conspiratorial or inflammatory.
