3:52 pm
What if M.I.A.‘s “Paper Planes” Was a Terrorist Ode?
I have an anti-biter’s dislike of Santogold. No disrespect to Santogold fans that see something new in her style, but everything from her crayon box fashions to her rambunctious music and sing-song chanting is nothing but a bad attempt to create the African-American version of M.I.A., who dropped in 2005. Only the Fader types really caught on to M.I.A’s debut album. That may change with her song “Paper Planes”; a featured soundtrack selection in this weekend’s guaranteed box office smash Pineapple Express.
The “Paper Planes” video has 8 million some odd views on YouTube.
M.I.A. “Paper Planes”
As much as I love her music and “Paper Planes” is addicting, what if there is a hidden message in the song? Something like a nod to some of her terrorist friends back in her homeland, Sri Lanka? Don’t worry, I’m not racial profiling - remember I love this girl. I’ve been a one man street team, handing out freshly burned CDs to anyone who will listen.
But this morning I fell on a video by a guy named DeLon.
DeLon >> “Paper Planes” Exposed (?)
He claims some of the imagery and references in M.I.A’s music are shout outs to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil - a Sri Lanka based group, that 31 countries have labeled as a terrorist organization. They sport a tiger on their flag.
The national flag of Sri Lanka has a tiger lion holding a sword on it, but M.I.A. has used tigers, guns, explosions, and vague talk about the boyz since album one.
In “Paper Planes” she has a line about injecting poison in the system..
“Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit ‘em
Lethal poison through their system..”
And the chorus..
“All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KKKAAAA CHING!)
Take your money”
The oddest line comes at the end, she smiles and waves her hands.
“Some some some some I murder
some a some I let go.”
Check the CD sleeve..
What do grenades, a bottle of poison, and skull and bones have to do with.. well, anything? Plus in the closing moments of the video there are scenes of paper planes flying at a bridge..
and a truck in the last scene with a skull and bones with swords on it.
I can’t say what any of that means, and M.I.A’s official condemnation of DeLon’s video is really weak.
“I don’t support terrorism and never have,” she wrote in a statement. “As a Sri Lankan that fled war and bombings, my music is the voice of the civilian refugee. Frankly, I am not trying to start dialogue with someone who is really just seeking self-promotion.”
So someone accuses you of supporting terrorists and that’s all you come up with?
By the way, the average YouTuber that dismisses DeLon, don’t dispute his claims about the video. It’s more of a ‘f*ck you thing going on. These people tend to be supporters of Tamil, but say that it isn’t a terrorist organization. “LTTE ARENT TERRORISTS THEY JUST WANT THEIR LAND AND THEY ARE FIGHTING THE RACIST SRI LANKA GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS BRAINWASHED MOST OF THE WORLD!!”
I don’t know, do I toss my M.I.A. CDs in the trash now?
Not a chance. I feel like a sheltered, suburban white kid who just discovered NWA: living vicariously through the gangsta of it all.
☼ What's Your Opinion? ☼
a-nat- Fri, Aug 08, 2008 - 6:24 pmi was gonna say the same thing rlm (although i woulda been a little less brash)...
i think most of M.I.A.‘s music that is very “revolutionary” is more satyrical than anything else. because she is from a war torn country, her lyrics like many other writers from those areas explain not only the plight of those suffering, but the mindset of those causing the suffering.
and just like with most hiphop…it should definitely be taken with a grain of salt.
How niggerish- Fri, Aug 08, 2008 - 8:26 pmCould black men please stop wearing afro puffs and pig tails. You guys look like idiots
mmmbop- Fri, Aug 08, 2008 - 10:05 pmyo moron,
she’s a singer she can sing what she likes.are you jealous?
Nelson Mandela was a terrorist too, say what?
Amar- Fri, Aug 08, 2008 - 11:55 pmyeah. the song is her satirical commentary on perceptions of immigrants.
delon is just just looking for attention because he doesn’t have his facts straight.
liuupson- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 1:22 am“By the way, the average YouTuber doesn’t dispute DeLon’s claims, beyond the ‘f*ck you’s, they tend to be supporters of Tamil, but say they aren’t a terrorist organization. “LTTE ARENT TERRORISTS THEY JUST WANT THEIR LAND AND THEY ARE FIGHTING THE RASCIST SRI LANKA GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS BRAINWASHED MOST OF THE WORLD!!”” what the f*** is this?is this site trying to promote terrorism?al-quida followers too have youtube accounts
liuupson- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 1:27 am“The national flag of Sri Lanka has a tiger with a sword on it too,”
who is the editor of this poor site.sri lankan flag consist a lion.before you wite learn something.
tamilIndian- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 1:54 amTamil Tigers are the culmination of 30+ years of grievances of the Tamils of Sri Lanka which remains a racial government to this day. Sri Lanka killed 3000 Tamils during the Black July. Drawing parallels of Tigers and the Islamic Terrorists is absurd. This rapper needs to go back to his country and understand the ground reality. USA has banned Tigers, but has repeatedly asked the Tigers to come to negotiations. USA does not negotiate with Terrorists. The word terrorism is being loosly used while referring to Tamil Tigers.
Chris - Whudat- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 9:51 amliuupson..
After looking at the Sri Lanka flag again, a few minutes after I posted this, I was going to change that. The fact that I’m explaining this, tells you I didn’t. So you are right about their flag having - a lion holding a sword - not a tiger holding a sword.
But it doesn’t negate the point, which is that M.I.A has sported tigers on her clothing and in her CD liner, which is on the Tamil Tigers flag
By the way, look at their flag and then the logo on the truck in the video. See any similarities?
I don’t understand what you’re saying about this site supporting terrorists.
I do understand that some organizations looked at as terrorists by their governments (and 31 others) may be seen as liberation or freedom fighters by the people directly involved on the ground. That’s why I included that comment from a Tamil supporter, to give a voice to that perspective. People like tamilIndian who commented below you.
A-nat and Rim..
If the song is sarcastic or satirical.. that’s great. I like her.
It is also why the post is open ended.
It just asks the question.. what is she talking about? And focuses on the conclusion DeLon came to.
But again, if the song is about her visa issues, correct me if I’m wrong, wasn’t she denied a visa because she was suspected of supporting the LTTE?
That time for lyrics in “Sunshower”
Which brings us back to “Paper Planes”
“Some some some some I murder: some a some I let go”
You do see how lyrics like that and the loose links can be taken the wrong way.
Sam- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 11:45 amUm… the animal on the Sri Lankan flag is a lion, not a Tiger…
Richie- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 11:48 amThe poison bottle represents the CYANIDE that members of the LTTE use to kill themselves when they are captured.
Richie- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 11:51 amAlso you do know that her dad is currently a member of the LTTE? A terrorist organisation that is banned in the USA, UK, EU, Canada, India?
You do know that the name “Arular” which she used to name her first album is the code name her dad has in the LTTE?
Chris G.- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 11:54 amSam..
Lion vs. tiger was addressed. See my post.
By the way, I like to call them.. really big cats.
Sam- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 12:42 pmYes I see… sorry about that, I didn’t read your comments before I posted. But you haven’t changed it in your original post bro. That is still misinforming the readers of your blog.
Chris G.- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 1:02 pmJust crossed it out. If you’re skimming through people, we’re talking about the Sri Lankan flag.
Check- Sat, Aug 09, 2008 - 9:49 pmMIA’s paper planes song says
All I wanna do (BANG BANG BANG BANG)
And a (CLICK CHING)
And take your money
I came across these links on the Internet
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2508757/Petrol-station-cashier-jailed-for-village-of-the-scammed-fraud.html
It says Raik, 33, claimed he became involved after running up a debt with a loan shark who was linked to the Sri Lankan guerrilla group the Tamil Tigers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2007/apr/22/crime.scamsandfraud
Petrol station scam funds Tamil Tigers
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2007/10/16/2007-10-16_sri_lankan_terror_gang_busted_in_atm_hei-2.html
A band of men linked to Tamil Tiger terrorists - led by a Sri Lankan who used a fake passport to get security clearance at Newark Airport - has been busted in a massive plot to loot city ATMs
Is there a hidden meaning for these Paperplane lyrics?
All I wanna do (BANG BANG BANG BANG)
And a (CLICK CHING)
And take your money
The video/lyrics of Sunshowers seems to have a hidden meaning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knQuxZj9rTA
Now watch this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYr3n7Yta5Q
Atleast after watching MIA’s Sunshowers video - Delon seems to have a point….atleast with MIA’s song Sunshowers Lyrics and Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knQuxZj9rTA
MsMoni- Sun, Aug 10, 2008 - 11:35 amWow I think this post has opened my eyes to the plight and struggle of a people I know basically nothing about. Shout out to you Chris to even writing this story. I’m reading through it and feeling like there is so much to learn in this world we live in. I can’t comment on a subject I know nothing about but I do encourage the dialogue to continue. It’s extremely interesting.
Maravan- Sun, Aug 10, 2008 - 2:41 pmHello Chris
Do not get intimidated by one of the commentator’s accusation as a this site promoting terror. Srilankan government and Sinhala chauvinist uses these kind of tactics to scare foreigners away from speaking about human rights violations and minority rights in so called Srilanka. Whoever speaks for human rights are labelled as “Terrorist” and Pro-LTTE. Even previous the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was labelled pro-terrorist. Tamils have been suffering in the hands of Singhala government’s systematic genocide since 1948. LTTE is a freedom fighters to protect Tamils from Srilankan State oppression and genocide.
Reference:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080717/wl_sthasia_afp/srilankaunrestaidun
Check- Mon, Aug 11, 2008 - 12:35 amWhy did these Educated Sri Lankans with Tamil Ethnic Heritage (who valued living in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious Sri Lanka) had to suffer and loose their life because they had to suffer due the acts of these terrorist. Saw these content on the Internet?
All of these educated Sri Lankans of Tamil Ethnic origin had to suffer because of these LTTE (Tamil Tigers) terrorists who call themselves freedom fighters.
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshman_Kadirgamar”>Lakshman Kadirgamar</a>
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Duraiappah”>Alfred Duraiappah</a>
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neelan_Tiruchelvam”>Neelan Tiruchelvam</a>
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeyaraj_Fernandopulle”>Jeyaraj Fernandopulle</a>
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amirthalingam”>Appapillai Amirthalingam</a>
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarojini_Yogeswaran”>Sarojini Yogeswaran</a>
<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_Yogeswaran”>Vettivelu Yogeswaran</a>
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I also saw this article
<a href=“http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2008/02/080212_sangaree_britain.shtml”>British MPs ‘deceived by LTTE’
Tamil Tiger sympathisers had deceived the British members of parliament says the leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF)</a>
LTTE seems to host a Genocide against good people of Tamils Ethnic Origin…
<a href=“http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/1482”>“Tamils in the L.T.T.E controlled areas are living like slaves” - V. Anandasangaree</a>
=================================
Terrorist’s are always terrorist. Ultimately everyone suffers with the evil actions.
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<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_attacks_attributed_to_the_LTTE”>List of attacks attributed to the LTTE</a>
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<a href=“http://ceylonrecords.blogspot.com/2008/08/mia-diss-by-delon.html”>This video has been gaining some attention on the Internet lately. The cover version of MIA Paperplanes song, that has been done by American Rapper, who promotes Unity and World Peace, Delon who’s parents are originally from Sri Lanka seems to be gaining some publicity</a>
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<a href=“http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan08/tamil_tigers011008.html”>http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan08/tamil_tigers011008.html</a>
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<a href=“http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/justice/article1520173.ece”>People in the U.K. suffer - Raik ran up a debt with a loan shark linked to guerilla group the Tamil Tigers in his native Sri Lanka, Leicester Crown Court heard</a>
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<a href=“http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/03/14/slanka12889.htm”>Sri Lankan Tamils living in Canada, the United Kingdom and other Western countries to intimidation, extortion and even violence</a>
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A multi ethnic country like Sri Lanka needs unity among all ethnic communities that live in Sri Lanka. People of Sri Lanka are of mixed origin. It’s a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country. Sri Lankan Citizens should be able to live in any part of the country. Due to these LTTE terrorists everyone suffers in all parts of Sri Lanka (the North of Sri Lanka is the worst) and outside Sri Lanka (Sri Lankan diaspora - especially of Sri Lankan Tamil Ethnic Origin). Sri Lanka is the Homeland for all Sri Lankans who are a mix of <a href=“https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2075.html”>Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)</a>
Check- Mon, Aug 11, 2008 - 12:48 amI also saw these links on the Internet
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070228/world.htm
The Ambassadors of US, Italy and Germany had been injured earlier along with others, when the Tamil Tiger rebels had fired artillery shells at their helicopters in eastern Sri Lanka’s Batticaloa district.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Envoys_injured_in_LTTE_attack/articleshow/1691807.cms
The article states that the Italian ambassador had a head injury and was admitted to the Batticaloa hospital while the US envoy had minor injuries
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/LTTE-admits-killing-Rajiv-Gandhi/162864/
These Terrorist (LTTE), for the first time, accepted responsibility for the assassination of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi was a great world leader. Everyone suffers with these evil deeds…
LTTE are known to be terrorists. Everyone suffer due to the evil actions of these Tamil Tiger terrorists.
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan08/tamil_tigers011008.html
How can LTTE be freedom fighters when they even kill Sri Lankans of Tamil Ethnic Origin. They are terrorists who terrorise others.
Check- Mon, Aug 11, 2008 - 12:57 amPeace loving Sri Lankans of Tamil Ethnic Origin cannot live in Sri Lanka beacuse of these LTTE (Tamil Tiger) Terrorists.
I saw this article - it’s worth reading
http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA370102006?open&of=ENG-384
Sri Lanka: Fear for safety: Professor Ratnajeevan Hoole
The article says
“A group believed to be a front organisation for the armed opposition group
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has threatened to kill an academic who
has links to an anti-LTTE group. Amnesty International believes his life is in
grave danger.”
Isn’t this act a human rights violation? Professor Ratnajeevan Hoole who is an educated man, cannot serve his own country because of the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) who call themselves freedom fighters, terrorise educated Sri Lankans of Tamil Ethnic Origin like Professor Ratnajeevan Hoole.
Eelavan- Mon, Aug 11, 2008 - 1:47 amPlease stop genocide & ethnic cleansing Tamils!
Latest News:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=26595
Above news is another example of how Srilankan government and its Singhala thugs trying to wipe out Tamils in their home land.
Chip- Fri, Sep 26, 2008 - 1:16 pmTo a-nat the third lady
bitch dats racists
but if u all jus think about it the song is about her saying what most of america portrayes immigrants as at least some of the people here havee brains she is saying that we think that all immigrants are terrorists and want to shoot us down and take our money no one on the corner has swagger like us… no one dreeses like we do people in china dress like some americans. just think about it i like some of M.I.A’s work she is a great artist but just not my style of music im more in to the intellectual shit like Kanye andre 3k and the best rapper alive Jay-Z dont 4get my group Gym Class Heroes so listen and understand
OPTIONAL.- Fri, Oct 24, 2008 - 3:43 pmNO COMMENT.
if you knew anything about paper planes, you would know that it is sarcastic, and is about her visa issues and negative views of immigrants. not terrorism.