M.I.A. Discusses "Borders" Video on Al Jazeera

M.I.A has been getting a lot of attention for her politically-charged video for her song “Borders.” Yesterday, she appeared on Al Jazeera to discuss the clip and its controversial subject: the ongoing refugee crisis. Watch the interview below.

“The reaction’s been extreme, as always [as with] most of my work,” she said of the public’s reception of the clip. “It has weeded out a lot of hate from neo-Nazi groups, and people thinking that it’s going to cause white genocide, and that’s what I’m promoting. Obviously, on the other side, I have had a tremendous amount of support from my fans and other people who feel that it’s important for artists and musicians to speak about current affairs, and things that actually affect our society.”

Later, M.I.A. discussed multiculturalism and how best to approach cultural integration in the wake of the crisis:

I think integration is a positive thing. Assimilation is separate, and I think integration can be a positive thing, and I’m a product of that. It has valuable contribution to culture. Creativity especially has thrived out of something like that. When I first came out as a musician, I always championed the concept of multiculturalism, and how coming from England actually helped facilitate something like that, and facilitate someone like me being able to come out and make music and be part of the music industry in the West. I think that’s only positive. I can’t find anything negative about multiculturalism.

M.I.A. is currently involved in a dispute with Paris Saint-Germain F.C. over the “Borders” video, in which she can be seen wearing a team jersey with sponsor Fly Emirates’ logo altered to read “Fly Pirates.”  She has continued to hold her ground; earlier this week, she remarked that the video had “gone over their [PSG's] head[s].”

Read “How M.I.A. Is a Lifeline in Times of Terror”on the Pitch.

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