After comments regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, Afropunk London has now dropped M.I.A. from a headlining slot at their debut festival. This appears to stem from back in April, when she tweeted the controversial statement, “It’s interesting that in America the problem you’re allowed to talk about is Black Lives Matter”.
This came shortly after she posed the question, “Is Beyoncé or Kendrick Lamar going to say Muslim Lives Matter? Or Syrian Lives Matter? Or this kid in Pakistan matters?”
She went on to try and clarify she had much regard for the Black Lives Matter movement, saying, “I’m not Muslim. My question was, on American platforms what do they allow you to stand up for in 2016?”.
It appeared at first she would stand down from the Afropunk London appearance herself when she tweeted, “Sorry I’m not doin Afropunk. I’ve been told to stay in my lane. Ha there is no lane for 65mil refugees whose lanes are blown up!”
Afropunk then defended her and said she would still play the festival. Now, after pressure from those outraged at some or all of her aforementioned remarks, it seems they done a full degree turn and will have to find an alternative headliner.
#Peace.Love.Afropunk
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