MIA has accused the MTV Video Music Awards of “racism, sexism, classism, elitism” after the video for her single Borders was not included on this year’s nominee list.
The self-directed video makes a statement on the refugee crisis, portraying groups of men packed on flotilla boats, while others scale vast border fences topped with barbed wire.
The VMA shortlist, announced earlier this week, is dominated by Beyoncé’s Lemonade, an artist MIA condemned this year for not being vocal about issues beyond Black Lives Matter. “Is Beyoncé or Kendrick Lamar going to say Muslim Lives Matter? Or Syrian Lives Matter? Or this kid in Pakistan matters?” she told the Evening Standard in April.
Posting a series of messages on Twitter today, the Sri Lankan rapper writes:
Her reference to “allowed’ voice v excluded voices” alludes to MIA’s original comments surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement, which eventually led to her being dropped from the bill of London’s Afropunk festival.
