The Essential Legacy of M.I.A.
Her Brownness was palatable to the industry and their persistent search for a fresh eclectic star — but her politics were not.
As the world was beginning to grapple with the seriousness of COVID-19 in March — rapper M.I.A. took to Twitter to issue a strong diktat against vaccinations. “If I have to choose the vaccine or chip [sic],” she
, “I’m gonna choose death.”
To come out as an anti-vaxxer is a questionable choice at any moment, but is particularly misguided at a time when the healthcare system is under duress. M.I.A. later
, “I’m not against vaccines. I’m against companies who care more for profit then [sic] humans. I care for better track record that proves this. I care that African countries are not always the testing ground. I don’t want it coming from banks / tech / hedge fund sector and I want a choice.”
Backlash against the musician began pouring in almost immediately. She was called “irresponsible and reckless” for erroneously linking 5G technology to the coronavirus outbreak. M.I.A. hit out at her detractors,
, “Cancelling is irrelevant.” British Vogue
canceled a feature of the singer that was slated for its August issue.