M.I.A. Releases “Born Free” Video
Arguably the more abstract and militant female counterpart to conscious artists like Lupe Fiasco, Sri-Lankan singer-rapper M.I.A has voiced her fiery opinions on war, third-world living and dirty politics since she hit the scene in 2005. But it was her 2010 video “Born Free” that seemed to scream louder than any other political comment she’d ever made. Cleverly challenging the the Sri Lankan army’s killing of male Tamil rebels, the video, which was filmed in California, presents a world where the U.S. government has waged genocide against redheaded people, and shows scenes of our military brutally killing any redheaded males captured. The visual comparisons between corrupt war tactics across the globe as well as the problems of race relations and genocide were controversial, but geniusly well done and thought-provoking.
m.i.a – born free from EL NINO on Vimeo.
