In recent news of anti-Black notions among non-Black people of color MIA expressed her distaste of #BlackLivesMatter. The rapper made the following remarks in an ES Magazine interview "It's interesting that in America the problem you're allowed to talk about is Black Lives Matter" she carried on to say " 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". Perhaps the questions MIA aimed to asked were from a good place, however, she was unable to highlight one marginalized group without derailing another.
1. MIA stated that "....Or this kid in Pakistan matters?
That's a more interesting question" her use of words here is all wrong. She is completely derailing Black people when she says that the lives of Pakistani or Muslim people pose a more "interesting question". MIA appears to be playing the game of "who's more oppressed" as she seems to weigh Black lives against that of other POC that reside outside of America.
2. What she doesn't address is the immense amount of Black people in the areas that she is discussing.
MIA makes these claims as if Beyonce or Kendrick couldn't be speaking to those individuals as well. She isn't addressing the large amounts of Black Muslims inside and outside of American borders. Her use of language works as a tool of erasure for the many that live the duality of these identities. She completely ignores the intersections of these identities due to her eagerness to redirect from the topic of Black lives.
3. KENDRICK AND BEYONCE ARE BLACK.
What she does here is what is often done by non-Black POC and even White people. She is fully giving the burden of liberation of all POC to Black people. The same story is repeated as Black people are forced to be the catch all for social isses. She holds Kendrick and Beyonce whom both happen to be Black superstars responsible for the revolution of all Black and Brown people.
4. She bashes a movement centered around Black lives in America while using the same colloquialism created by those people in her music.
MIA like many others partake in Black culture yet aim to derail topics of Black rights.
5. She ignores the immense amount of anti-Blackness that comes from NBPOC.
Yet still insists that Black people should advocate for their rights as well. Colorism and anti-Blackness are extreme problems within the groups that MIA mentions. However, this isn't acknowledged as she passes the responsibility to Black hands.
6. When MIA said "you're allowed to talk about" she made it as though White America allowed Beyonce, Kendrick, or any Black artists to make music about oppression.
She's ignoring the wave of backlash Beyonce received from White fans in response to Formation. She's ignoring the fact that discussing Black oppression in America in any medium is a forced topic. Black people are not able to freely and openly discuss social injustice without negative commentary. Has she ever read the comment section on a #BlackLivesMatter post? Guess not.
7. BLACK PEOPLE ARE STILL OPPRESSED.
All of her comments discuss the racism that Black people face in America as if it were an artifact. "It's not a new thing to me — it's what Lauryn Hill was saying in the 1990s" well SURPRISE MIA it's nothing new to Black people either. It's the same racism Black bodies have been subject to. Her word play insinuates that Black liberation is an old notion though racism and systematic oppression thrive.
8. She ignores Black solidarity with Palestine.
One can read of Anthony Grimes' journey to Palestine through the Interfaith Peace Builders. Grimes created a photo series titled A Black Vision of Palestine which narrates his experience while there.
Also, one can review the Black Solidarity with Palestine Statement that over 1100 Black activists signed. These activists range from known names like Angela Davis and Talib Kweli to organizations like Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and Organization for Black Struggle - St. Louis.
Despite all of this MIA suggests that Black people have not stood for Palestine or other marginalized groupds. Clearly, this notion is falsified.
9. She forgot that one of the biggest leaders of the Civil Rights movement was MUSLIM, but also Black.
Again displaying the intersections she refuses to acknowlege.
10. Again, and again, Black people and their rights are put on the back burner.
MIA pushes #BlackLivesMatter from the forefront to highlight "more interesting" topics.
Many are arguing that MIA is racist, she's not. She is still a person of color and is unable to wield the sword of systematic oppression seen in America and other countries. However, her notions ARE anti-Black. Stating that topics of Black liberation are outdated is certainly anti-Black. Proclaiming that there are "more interesting" topics or questions than that of why 12 year old Tamir Rice can be shot while playing in a park is anti-Black. Arguing that begging for justice for Sandra Bland, Mike Brown, Renisha McBride, Trayvon Martin, Freddie Gray or the countless others killed by the police in America is anti-Black. The issues of Black liberation is always one that is relevant as Black people face horizontal and vertical oppression. The issues of anti-Blackness and colorism are global. One would be ignorant to deny that anti-Black notions are at play in this abrupt criticism of Black activism from a NBPOC. While MIA uses her music to disrupt White dominance and oppression it is clear that she is not void of problematic language. She is blind to the idea of uplifting more than one group at a time as her comment shoves out Black people. Perhaps she could take a tip or two from those she criticizes.
