Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Culture
CultureEntertainmentMusic

Afropunk Keeps M.I.A. on as London Festival Headliner, Says Rapper’s Controversial Statements ‘Sparked Dialogue About Global Black Struggle’

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

M.I.A.

After M.I.A. claimed she will no longer perform at Afropunk London this September, the Black cultural festival released a statement today saying she will remain in the lineup. In a message shared on their Twitter account, the company stands by Black people around the world in each of their struggles.

“Afropunk stands in solidarity with the struggles of Black people in America and worldwide, and acknowledge that Black Lives Matter is indeed a declaration of a global struggle,” the statement begins. “Afropunk stands in solidarity with our Muslim sisters and brothers, including black Muslims.”

“Afropunk stands in solidarity with the 65 million millions [sic] of displaced human beings that are today engulfed in one of the greatest refugee crisis in modern history,” it continues. “The urgency of these struggles could not be more real, and they are intricately connected.”

The release, which highlights the connection of Black oppression globally, refers to M.I.A.’s tweets about the children of refugees who she says “will be listening to all types of music [but] not their own” because they live away from home.

https://twitter.com/MIAuniverse/status/744965462216302594

 

The organization did not condemn the rapper’s controversial comments about the American Black Lives Matter movement. Instead, it praised M.I.A.’s remarks for sparking a dialogue.

In April, the UK star made waves for dissing BLM as an old subject and criticized the lack of attention on Syrian and Muslim people.

The festival makes it clear it would not host a performer who contradicts their message of acceptance.

“We also know that without the community that supports our platform and our events, there would be no Afropunk, so we would never elevate an artist or performer who we considered at odds with our ethos or not supportive of those we stand beside.”

Afropunk promotes the discussion of differing opinions throughout the statement. It says it has fostered conversations to improve knowledge of the experiences of all Black people around the world, including the impact of the refugee crisis and anti-Muslim rhetoric. It also encourages supporters to take a look at the way structural racism and systemic oppression plays a role in those issues.

After making it clear M.I.A. will retain her spot in the concert, the festival upholds its message of inclusivism.

“We hope that this event also brings to light the experiences of black Brits, immigrants and refugees in the U.K., who are continuously erased.”

It also makes it known their purpose is to build up Black people, not tear them down.

See the statement in full below.

Still independent.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

The wider picture isn't any steadier. Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under, it's rarely the ones built to center a Black perspective from the ground up that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top