M.I.A.’s new video directed by Romain Gavras is stirring up some controversy and not for nudity like Erykah Badu’s “Window Seat”. It was yanked from youtube in the US almost immediately.
The video is violent and graphic but M.I.A., whom I am a supporter of, often speaks of violence in her music and other assorted topics Americans with sensitive ears are shielded from. “Born Free” shows young, white male redheads being rounded up by authorities, a kid getting shot in the head, another beaten and yet another blown up. It’s NSFW but you can watch the video below.
M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.
It reminds me of El P’s “Smithereens (Stop Crying)” video which features the white rapper as a Guantanamo Bay detainee getting is ass kicked by guards.
Or the French electronic group Justice’s video for “Stress” also by Romain Gavras, which shows a roving gang of youth… well kicking people’s asses and setting people on fire.
Hell, this video also reminds me of document leakers WikiLeaks video of US forces firing on unarmed Iraqi civilians and even laughing while doing it.
Finally, M.I.A.’s “Born Free” video and the controversy around it got me thinking about a few things:
1. In our culture it seems to be easier to handle images or information about non white people as the victims of violence.
2. Images of violence seem to be shunned in our culture more than actual violence, leaving those images and art edited away by censorship, controversy or spin.
3. Who are we to be spared the images of violence that happen everyday in the lives of some more than others when we perpetrate, perpetuate and celebrate violence? The WikiLeaks makes me sick and I’ve never watched it only heard it and that’s more than enough for me. It’s been minimally reported on, edited for kids and spun in the media…and I’m over it.
The “Born Free” video only features dramatized violence. It’s not real. The violence in the WikiLeaks video is, yet in the video the soldiers are distanced physically and emotionally from what’s happening on the ground. In the US today most of us are removed physically and emotionally from the actual violence on the ground in our 2 officially undeclared wars far more than those soldiers. I just feel like who are we to turn away from this kind of information or even art based on real life atrocities? Who are we to not be informed about real life atrocities?
Didn’t love “Born Free” at first but it’s growing on me. If you like this song DOWNLOAD FREE via dayandadream.com
M.I.A. is set to release her new album in June along with everyone else. Still no word on the title yet but here’s the tracklisting
1. The Message
2. Born Free
3. Meds And Feds
4. Lovealot
5. Tequila
6. It Is What It Is
7. XXXO
8. Tell Me Why
9. Story Told
10. Space
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