British rapper MIA -- who declared in her Sunflowers single Like PLO I don't surrender -- cannot come to America, at least for now. She says the American embassy in London has denied her a visa.
The 28-year-old singer, whose debut album Arular became an international hit two years ago, was unhappy that Sunflowers was banned by MTV because of its references to suicide bombers. And now comes the news of the visa denial.
Her American publisher XL Records told reporters late last week that it was not concerned with her presumed visa problems. The visa refusal story was first reported by Allhiphop.com
The site also wrote: 'The rapper's lyrics are said to support the Sri Lankan political group Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan armed forces.'
MIA surely would be irritated and angry that the site could not distinguish between the Tigers and its sworn foes, the Sri Lankan Army.
The Tigers are on America's terrorist list, though there are thousands of Tiger sympathisers across the country, a significant number of them being doctors.
MIA, who was born Maya Arulpragasam in Sri Lanka and had lived in India as a refugee for some months, became a sensation in America just about two years ago. She was also the subject of adulatory articles in many publications, including the elitist The New Yorker.
The provocative words in her lyrics, seen by many as extolling the Tamil Tigers, is reportedly the reason why the visa has been refused, even though she had sung many of the controversial numbers before her last American visit.
MIA, who has performed at many venues across America, was planning to come to America to work on a new album with boyfriend and collaborator, Philadelphia-based Wes Diplo.
'Roger, roger, do you hear me, over?' she said on her Website. 'The US immigration won't let me in, I'm locked out. They won't let me in. Now I'm making my album outside the borders.'
Maya was about 11 years old when her mother and brother arrived with her in England. She was drawn to rap while mingling with the inner city children, especially from Jamaica.
