Rapper M.I.A. has been removed from Kid Cudi's tour following an anti-immigrant outburst during a concert in Dallas, Texas, over the weekend. The incident occurred while she was opening for Kid Cudi, leading to her termination from the remaining shows.
Details of the Incident
During her performance, the “Paper Planes” singer faced boos from the audience after announcing she could not play her 2010 song “ILLYGIRL,” sometimes referred to as “Illegal.” She added, “though some of you could be in the audience,” which many interpreted as a jab at immigrants. She also complained about being “canceled for many reasons” but stated she “never thought I would be canceled for being a brown Republican voter.”
Political Shift
M.I.A., a U.K. citizen, publicly endorsed President Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 election, a significant shift from her previous criticisms of the Republican during his first term. This change in stance has been noted by fans and critics alike.
Fan Reactions and Social Media
Accounts of her rant first appeared on Reddit, followed by fan-shot footage on TikTok, and later picked up by music site Consequence of Sound. The backlash prompted Kid Cudi to address the situation.
Kid Cudi's Statement
On Monday, Kid Cudi posted to his Instagram story, announcing he had dropped M.I.A. from his tour. He explained that he had instructed her to avoid “anything offensive” onstage, but after receiving numerous complaints from fans about her rants, he decided to let her go. “I wont have someone on my tour making offensive remarks that upsets my fanbase,” he wrote. “Thank you for understanding. Rager.”
M.I.A.'s Response
M.I.A. responded on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Do not gas light my words. That is the work of satan.” She defended her history of supporting immigrant rights through songs like “Borders” and “Paper Planes,” adding, “I don’t need this virtue signal era to all of a sudden erase an entire life I’ve LED. Jesus was an immigrant and a rebel. I have no appolgy for the judgemental the wicked and the ignorent.”
Previous Controversies
Before embracing Trump, M.I.A. dabbled in anti-vaccine conspiracies during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In 2024, she launched her Ohmni clothing line, claiming it protects wearers’ “privacy, autonomy and rights over” their bodies and “data” by fending off 5G wireless signals. She promoted the line on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ “Infowars.”
