The reverberations from Beyonce‘s fiery ‘Formation’ release show no signs of silencing.
As widely reported, the track and its video (which many interpreted as pro-Black) have been the inspiration for many spirited debates – both critical and endorsing.
Now on the eve of Queen Bey’s ‘Lemonade’ release (which promises more of such moments), outspoken rapper M.I.A has voiced her opinion on ‘Formation’ and the #BlackLivesMatter movement it celebrates.
Her words, which may surprise some, await below…
Speaking to the UK’s Evening Standing, the 40-year-old said:
“It’s not a new thing to me – it’s what Lauryn Hill was saying in the 1990s, or Public Enemy in the 1980s. Is Beyoncé or Kendrick Lamar going to say Muslim Lives Matter? Or Syrian Lives Matter? Or this kid in Pakistan matters? That’s a more interesting question.
And you cannot ask it on a song that’s on Apple, you cannot ask it on an American TV programme, you cannot create a tag on Twitter, Michelle Obama isn’t going to hump you back.”
Sigh.
Do all lives matter? Yes. However, in view of society’s many injustices and imbalances, it is narrow-minded, insensitive, and counter-productive to start quantifying which minority or afflicted group matters most.
It’s alarming to see someone supposedly as knowledgeable as M.I.A attempt to devalue a movement that has only ever been about celebrating a culture and striving for equality.
What’s more, it’s incredibly ill-advised for M.I.A – who is not Black – to depict the #BlackLivesMatter movement as being passé. Because, the reality is that many of the issues plaguing the Black community in the 80s and 90s are still prevalent 20/30 years on.
Ridiculous woman.
Kiii Sam just read MIA for blood!! YAAASSS!!
Isn’t if funny people who have never lifted their hands to talk about black issues find trouble in black people talking about THEIR own issues.
Yup! You can’t see a statement like #blacklivesmatter and want to change it to #alllivesmatter. That’s like going to a fundraising for breast cancer research (which is actually a scam in itself) and saying, “Everyone stop this. There other diseases out there too.” You can’t downplay the existence of an issue by bringing up another issue.
She didn’t really say the movement was useless though..
She seemed to only point out that whilst something like #BlackLivesMatter will play on Apple music and trend on Twitter, the other issues(she mentioned) won’t.
I think her point was to highlight that matter, rather than slamming Beyoncé and anyone involved in black people’s rights.
But I haven’t read the whole interview. So I don’t know.
@tay ho hush
Yea she needs to sit all the way down wit this didn’t she lose her son?
We r so funny! Lol!!! I’m black and I’m tired of hearing about Black Lives Matter. We won’t even speak up to say hi to one another, but we hop on the Internet to complain about discrimination? Are black people even believing in this movement? Or does that just give you justification to be angry? Black Lives don’t even matter to black people. Kill the nonsense….
no @Wee. YOU WON’T lift up your hands to say hi to other black people. Talk about yourself. I speak to other people of color all the time. Don’t be including me in your s***.
Jackie better not bring her cargo truck built ass up in here.
Kiii you know she will sis! Her and her pet @CinnaRACIST never seize to miss a Beyoncé post!
Not a Kelly Rowland stan vying for my attention. Sis go get your fav a platinum plaque before checking for me.
It’s sad that she thinks this is a fad. She think because artists been saying this that it’s old and people (black people) need to start repping other races. Everybody stay throwing shots at Bey but always want her to save them at the end of the day smh.
WHO?
Beyoncé doesn’t care she hates being black
Remember when she said to people magazine “I wish I was born Latina”? Back during the “B-Day era
She’s just exploiting what’s cool on tumblr and Twitter to make money
She’s a fraud
Latina isn’t race, it’s a culture.
There are BLACK, white, mulatto, and mestizo Latinos. So you sound ignorant
Please find me receipts on Beyonce saying she was Latin? You sound dumb as hell she said she wanted to make a Latin version for her LATIN FANS. Here are receipts of her talking about being a PROUD BLACK WOMAN IN A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTY BACK IN 2001 though https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mQCiU2a0dPg
Here’s her full quote
“I’m just jealous that I wasn’t born Latina. I wish I had been because the culture is so beautiful. ”
http://brownsista.com/beyonce-wishes-she-was-latina/
@says
Latino isn’t a RACE ! Admiring the Latino CULTURE still doesn’t demote her blackness. So what’s your point….
Bye @Mark111 might want to aleast not repeat word for word on your “drags” under your alias accounts kii!!!
Bwahaha Jesus take the wheel
Beyonce’s music and fake persona is just trash. Girl she is not all that trust me! Her record sells, ratchet fan base, and chart positions say it all! None of her music will ever stand the test of time, or be remembered, hence why she will only be remembered for being a part of the group Destiny’s Child before going solo and becoming Tina Turner’s understudy, girl bye!
Funny you called her Tina turner understudy but then in the same breath said she’s not all that….. In my Oprah gif voice *so what is the truth* ?????
Ummm they are two completely different people ya dumb ass. I swear yall are some dumb fans lol. smfh!!!
Dumb irrelevant b****, just because Beyoncé and Kendrick rep Bladk Lives Matter doesn’t mean they don’t care about other races. I’m so sick of some people using All Lives Matter or Cops Lives Matter etc etc as a way to deflect from the real issue at hand. And Mia if I care so much about Muslim Lives or Syrian Lives matter then do something about it, go protest you have a platform to express your opinion.
So black lives not matter to each other when you killing your own people in the streets more than police black lives matter is,a stupid movement all lives matter blacks are killing each other everyday for no reason babies cannot play outside for fear of being gun down so you want to tell me black people only matter when a white person kill them or only blacks can call each other bigger yall culture here is fill with contradictions Beyonce stay with a company for years called loreal she stayed blond to make money she accepts money from Pepsi when,we know it’s making black,kids fat in the hood cause poor people cannot afford whole food who will believe Beyonce reping for anything of value in society she does things to line her pockets after this tour she will be on to a new money making scheme loreal told her stay blonde we want your white audience to accept that you white too foh I rather listen to Alicia half white keys speak on black matters Alicia as been proud of who she is
Shutup you Rihanna Stan you claim to hate Beyoncé but know so much about her
Obviously Beyonce is more sensitive to black lives matter as an AFRICAN AMERICAN.. It doesn’t mean she or any of the black community does not acknowledge the struggles in the Middle East. And let’s be honest, they’re American…. Nuff said
You can’t blame black people for the injustices that YOU face!
Black people have always had to fight for their rights. If other minorities feel like they are being discriminated against then maybe they should start doing the same.
Lemonade = Lemon which is a sour fruit that is made into a sweet beverage. It’s an extended metaphor of a bad situation and making it good. I think this is going to reflect the kind of message we need today for black people in America. Kendrick did a similar thing with “Alright”. Now it’s time for Beyonce’s take
Tired of this “All lives matters ” CRAP!! If all lives matter then why do certain ethnic groups feel differently???
Saying all lives matter is equivalent to telling a hungry person that “other people are hungry too” whilst eating a big fat meal! Beyonce is black. She will talk about the BLACK experience. You wanna talk Asians.. SPEAK up your damn self.
This dumb h** needs to stfu, dumb tamil tiger needs to get back in her cage before she ever ttalk ever talk about #blacklivesmatter we gon have beef forevvvvva hate this whack ass n Sam MIA is 40 old raggedy hatin messy as
Check wiki she is 40 & will be 41 in JUly
Tamil h**
Is there any need for the racism!? This is exactly why some of us are not taken seriously. You wanna be talking about ALL LIVES MATTER whilst degrading and making racial slurs about another race.
You’re entitled to your views but you DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO OFFEND. I hope your comment is deleted.
N 1 last things why do her brothers keep bombing everywhere cant get on the airline cant get on the train … Plus asians mad as hell jealous of black people she need to get back in her cage.
Plus let me tell u why she mad she mad coz global warming about swallow Siri Lanka n her grandaddy village… Damn irrelevant old h**
Black people been getting treated bad for centuries taken as slaves r**** completely made to feel worthlesss n we aint bombed nobody all we want is to drive n wat chicken jn peace without police brutality cannnot stand this ignorant old hefffer
Why is it always our responsibility to speak up for other people?
Where was everybody else when our people were being lynched from trees, attacked by dogs, and racially profiled by the system? Any ideas !???
Missslondon is OFFENDING ME.. Islamaphobia and just pure hatred.
REMOVE
REMOVE
REMOVE
REMOVE
Agreed! That comment needs to be removed.
*from my keyboard to Sam’s EARS*
Lol enough with this PC mess fyi my family r muslim.. Just coz someone has a different opinion than yours doesnt mean they should be silenced. At the time i wrote the comments i was extremely irate as this woman is not black has 0 right to comment on black issues and it made my blood boil just to hear her says beyonce a black woman she start singing about pakistan when there is systematic institiuational racism. Mia can sing about that. And her comments are similar to what many racist white people have been doing for years yes all lives do matter but right now we are focusing on the black ones … Currently due to leegislation introduced by bill clinton there are more black men in prision than there were enslaved!! MIA is the ignorant one .. Where were indians when black people were being lynch and enslaved why do black people have to fight for asians … How many white men do u see fighting for black womens rights??? The same logic applies here why is it the responsibility of black people to fight for asian rights in a world where the black woman and man are treated as second class citizens?? Lets just be honest & real
So you call her a Tamil Tiger?! The contradiction…
You’re a brick
But did i lie though??? Is she not a Tamel Tiger problem with people like you is you run on emotion. I hit u with facts… And you cannot say anything over than you called her a Tamil Tiger. I didnt call her any racial slurs… Or anything as im not racist… Go google Tim Wise & racial preduice go goggle the new Jim Crow… People like MIA will say anything for publicity…. I wont stoop to your level and insult you … As im highly favoured … Just understand it is not beyonce or kendrick lemar responsibility to fight for p******** or Pakistan… How many of these people genuinely like black people… Slavery started in the middle east remember that… And id gladly be a brick than emotional bottom b i t c h like u
It’s not emotion.. It’s compassion. Something we lack as a people. You pointed out her race to mock and insult her. You then said islamaphobic things and made an unnecessary comment about Sri Lanka. Pretty sure it was all racist.
My thought process > Yours..
Beyonce did this for the greater good. But she was strategic in how she did it. She is very calculating. MIA wants a little publicity. Beyonce should have did this before the Super Bowl so that it didn’t seem like a ploy to sale tickets and push her tour. On the other it’s great that black artists with power & leverage spark this debate. What group of people speak up for the BLM movement minus a few non celebs of different races, not taking anything away from them. Other races get bitter when black artists of color speak up.
Ma’am, she released Formation before the Super Bowl. The conversation was already happening.
Idc WHEN she said it..people wanted her to say something so she DID…what more do you want?
I dont know why @Tyler and @slave_to_H.IV are still showing their faces here because @CinnmonTranny keeps dragging these h***.
.
MESSS
^^see guys! this is why we can’t have nice things ^^
B**** don’t come for the H.B.I.C unless I summon you.
Gurrrl the lies you tell! Why you so pressed!?! You mad cause Lady Shít Stain is irrelevant now! Poorthing had one of the shortest music careers ever!
Yes, all lives SHOULD matter but the harsh reality is minorities face a completely different struggle from their White counterparts. In relation to AFRICAN AMERICANS, that’s why the BLM movement was created. So as to highlight the injustices towards them. Like many have already stated, it’s ironic how other minoritires don’t give af about the struggles Black people in America face but want them to compound their own issues with theirs. Beyonce and Kendrick supporting BLM doesn’t mean they hate other races. It just means that as Black artists who realised they have a platform and use it to influence change. If you are Black, dislike Beyonce and are willing to use these comments M.I.A made against her, then I seriously question your consciousness.
Preach!! Your comments @Stephy @Coco @Majesy @Whosbad are always leaving the best comments!!!
Yes Sam tell that heifer.
She was clearly M.I.A (Missing in Action) in the brain when she decided the to open her mouth to a newspaper chatting rubbish. It is not Bey nor Kendricks responsibility to touch on cultures other than their own because that’s what they know best. They are seeing things happen that need addressing period. The problem with conformist like her (using black grime and hip hop sounds to gain popularity) is they get too comfortable like they about that life!
Next time use the newspaper to enlighten us on your cultural battles & ways you think all cultures can move forward instead of belittling the true message and reasoning behind a message and movement just to get a green tick mark next to your name for using a word Beyoncé to be applauded by the whites who see themselves as the POWER over you bish.
Don’t bite the hands who helped feed your music to reach the short high levels it did because im sure if it was your producer shot or choked you tune would be different.
PREACH so glad sam updated her age …. Maybe she menaposcule thats y she chatting BS
Well the BeyHive is certainly in Formation
LOL @ Sam thinking he read this woman. That she didn’t call out #BlackLivesMatter as the hate group that’s it has become was entirely kind of her.
Were the people who had their stores, cars, homes, burned down in Baltimore responsible for what some police officers did? No, yet they were attacked as if they were.
When ISIS attacked and murdered hundreds of French citizens what hashtag did BlackLivesMatters proudly bring up? @F**kParis as if they were some cool hipster rebellious kids.
Then there are the verbal and physical threats at college campuses captured on various videos against anyone (not just White people) that doesn’t proclaim to care about “BlackLivesMatter.”
Whatever good that movement set out to do has long since been overshadowed by the amount of hatred it promotes, and I don’t blame MIA for a second for calling Thighyonce on her disingenuous BS.
This woman speaks the truth:
https://youtu.be/OnZb4FgJqUQ
Muslims especially from the mentioned countries have NEVER fought for the rights of black people even though there are black muslims and black people in general still oppressed by white and arabs.
MIA should perhaps fight for her fellow muslims. gandhi a renowned “peaceful and loving man” has long made racist comments towards black people:-
“Many of the native prisoners are only
one degree removed from the animal and often
created rows and fought among themselves.”
KMT!! Another thing! It takes more than one or two voices to GET A MESSAGE ACROSS. MJ, JANET, STEVIE, BOB and many others have all been apart of the ultimate movement which is the one of EQUALITY and FAIRNESS! The formula of having the notion that abusing your power is right is NOT how its going to be.
She mentioned Bey cus she wants the Barbz, Navy etc to back her once she gets STUNG,but my message is dont fall for her dumb tricks & look at the root of her cause.
The child is clearly missing a house to her home all as she aim to be twitters trending topic!!! I see you M.I.A cus you have been MISSING ? FOH
Riherrpes-Drunk On Love > Trannyyonce-Drunk In Love
Kesha > Fadga
Bye @Barb Wire
The whole situation is annoying at this point. Bey is benefiting by jumping on the bandwagon.
Not at @Slave_to_H.IV’s understudy (@Hail_H.IV) using other peoples “drags”, if you can even use that as a drag. Everyone knows that David the Nigerian Phagg hates me and was framing me. why would I troll as a Baboon?
Not you using Mollys drags when you always shade her be original.
Kiii CLOCKED!!!
Like I said bye @Barb Wire! @Me whenever your pathetic ass doesn’t need to resort to trolling accounts!
She just wants to make headlines. She’s been irrelevant since 2012 superbowl.
She just wants attention and it’s proven fact you will get it by mentioning Beyonce. Beyonce doesn’t know what it’s like to be Syrian or Pakistani…so Why don’t you start that if you feel their needs to be a #blanklivematter Movement.
Beyoncé doesn’t know what it’s like to be black either. What a joke.
Where did I use @Molly_the_asslickers drag? Show me??
MIA shut the f…up. I got many friends different backgrounds and they know #Blacklivesmatter, just as well as their lives. If you don’t like how others are talking about #Blacklivesmatter, rep about who you are, and where you from. I’m sick and tired of people bashing for what. This is a very important issue because of the past and still to this day!
Dumbyonce’s fans are so overly emotional and stupid. M.I.A. was just stating her opinion and she’s right. Public Enemy and others have been pro black in their music but of course everyone wants to make a big deal when Beyawnce does something
I’d expect you to say that racist c***
I’m confused for her loreal commercial she wanted the world to know she is mixed. At one point wish she was born Latin now she black. Bey baby help me keep up.
Why do all these people expect black people to fight their battles too! I don’t get it M.I.A. You make the issue known through your music, people like you should be making it happen, just like BLM. What I see is one oppressed voice going after another oppressed voice instead of the oppressor who owns and runs all the media outlets!
I get her point and i agree with her 50% . See i am proud of Beyonce finally speaking up for her own race…but the thing is…its not only black people buying her music supporting her…so this is where get M.I.A and i never liked m.i.a so…Also when ever i speak to my black friends…they only talk about black this slavery that…but the world is not only white vs black…there i black on black…white on white..asian on asian..latin on latin…eastern on eastern…so me being white but still being discriminated by whites since my country is different…so by blacks only acknowledging black racism ..they to are discriminating.
So i believe Beyonce could have spoken about other races like Alicia Keys has.. with the day i am disliking beyonce…and i used to be a superfan…but she is so money minded..and superficial..i love when stars have so much power and they use it for a cause..thats why i loved M.J thats why i love christina aguilera thats why i love miley cyrus..not afraid to lose their fame or money. So this is why i agree with m.i.a.
well said emmi3….all lives matter
I really don’t think your opinion matters seeing as how you aren’t even African American
Mia is such an intelligent women. So down to earth. Doesn’t give a damn what you cultish people say. Look around you. There is more racism today for Caucasians then there is for aferican Americans. # that Beyoncé only supports something is yo can make $. That was her point and it’s true. She wouldn’t even give a damn ieither if she was caucasian
Who is M.I.A. again? The “Paper Planes” one hit wonder and the crazy pregnant lady acting a complete fool while lipsyncing on stage at the Grammy’s. Therefore, her words are null and void. Next!
Muslim people are some of the most racist people towards blacks so they can miss me with that shyt. I use to date this Palestinian chick and her mother would not allow me in the house.
Thank you Sam…. read her for filth.
Instead of using HER platform to talk about these issues, she’s busy slamming others for the causes they choose to support. Foolishness
Is true though! Beyonce ain’t doing nothing that the likes of Lauryn Hill didn’t already do in the 90’s. People want to act like everything Bey does is something new that everybody else is too afraid to do. F*ck that!!!
That funny looking non black chick need to worry about her own kind.
I will simply say this it is important to uplift our own race I believe #BlackLivesMatter has really taught this generation that racism is very present in our world and that it is important to fight for what is right. All the police brutality and injustice needs to come to an end. To call out Asians as a whole and say that we have not been through what the Black community has is completely ignorant! I’m mixed and to read all your uneducated comments are comically ridiculous to me. Who are you to say Asians or any other race for that matter haven’t experienced racism on the same level as the Black community or been lynched, hung, r****, segregated simply off the color of their skin or cultural beliefs. Think before you speak we are truly one race, the human race and until we can come together and fight together against racism, injustice, and brutality is the only time we can truly experience freedom but until then we are keeping ourselves in cages by segregating one another by race.
I understand what you mean, however, we can’t ignore the elephant of the earth– global anti-black racism– something that supercedes any other form of racism. The world has developed a mentality that views darker skinned, wider nose, individuals as something unpleasant by nature. I find it accurate that no other race is depicted as dumb ignorant and ugly such as the African american group of human beings. If the mega media machine decided to celebrate the features that are often frowned upon, that could change the dynamic for every African american that lives in the world. A positive ripple effect. Other races are given the benefit of the doubt in comparison to black people. <In my opinion at least.
Sam – you completely misinterpreted what MIA said. This is not an issue you should be writing about unless you fully understand the sentiment.
If you’re going to say that what she said is being misinterpreted (as if what she said was poetry), at least clarify how it is being misinterpreted (by not only Sam, apparently every reliable source willing to report something on her).
She should have released it way before the Super Bowl. She did it right before it to boost what she was trying to sale. And it’s no ma’am..
But the song is free?????
Beyoncé’s tour would of sold well regardless of Formation being released or not.
I’ll say this and I’ll leave it alone. BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF EVERY MINORITY. DO. NOT. Don’t put the responsibility of the world on our shoulders. And then we look to y’all to have our backs, and you’re nowhere to be found.