MIA makes explosive claims about Beyonce and Adele, alleges Jay-Z wanted her to get plastic surgery
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: British rapper Mathangi 'Maya' Arulpragasam, better known by her stage name MIA, created an uproar in the music industry after making explosive claims about some of the biggest names in the field in a live stream on Saturday, November 30.
The 'Paper Planes' artist voiced her complaints against the icons Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Adele in the now-viral video, and stated her intention to come for "everyone" for not providing her with the respect that she feels she rightly deserves.
Rapper M.I.A. Speaks on Refusing to Bleach Her Skin or Become a Witch to Sell Records and Goes Off on Adele and Beyoncé for Not Giving Her Respect Because She's a Brown-Skinned Woman. pic.twitter.com/ro7MjaASDZ
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) November 30, 2024
MIA claims Jay-Z advised her to get plastic surgery
According to Hip Hop DX, MIA had signed on with Jay-Z's management company Roc Nation in May 2012, before abruptly parting ways in early 2014. Among the various factors involved in her making the decision was allegedly Jay-Z's suggestion that MIA get under the knife.
Singer M.I.A. claims the first thing Jay-Z told her to do when she signed to Roc Nation was to get plastic surgery and reveals her career didn’t take off until she was 30 years old.
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) November 30, 2024
(🎥 Livebitez/instagram) pic.twitter.com/KHcB4DqFK4
“When I met JAY-Z and I signed to Roc Nation, the first thing he told me to do is to get plastic surgery,” she said.
The rapper considered the recommendation to be emblematic of the industry’s superficial expectations, explaining, “I’m not insecure because I would have got plastic surgery. So their argument of ‘Maya’s f**king insecure, that’s why she needs to f**king massage her ego', fails. It fails because you turn around and ask … What women do you know who hasn’t had plastic surgery around (Jay-Z)? All of them have. I’m the only one who didn’t, which already proves the fact it’s not insecurity.”
"I’m 50, and I’m totally fine with that … I was making something interesting happen that wasn’t happening before," she added.
MIA's frustration with Jay-Z stemmed deeper than personal encounters. Earlier this year, she took to social media with claims that Jay-Z's company Roc Nation suppressed her album 'Mathangi' due to Jay-Z’s ties with the influential Bronfman family. Her communication with the label was completely cut off in the following days, alleged MIA and her email to the man himself did not receive a response.
MIA had ranted against Roc Nation on social media back in February when she accused the company of not assisting her with the custody battle for her son, reported The Root.
MIA and then fiance Benjamin Bronfman welcomed their son in February 2009, but she's been struggling to maintain custody ever since they separated in 2012.
MIA's accusations against Beyonce and Adele
MIA was also notably frustrated with Beyonce and Adele for not acknowledging her contributions to the industry as well as their own careers. While MIA accused Beyonce of going political after being inspired by her work, she also alleged having a pivotal role in Adele’s career on account of her involvement with the latter's manager Jonathan Dickens, and Nick Huggett, who signed Adele to Excel.
"I find it difficult that when people make it, they all can turn around and thank Beyonce, because that’s f**ked it, and enough is enough. I’m f**king coming for everyone now," she announced in her stream.
"And even Adele, because she’s retired now, but her career would not exist if I hadn’t made Jonathan Dickens into a manager, who is her manager. I’m sick and tired of all the f**king women who don’t want to give respect to me because I’m a brown woman in music.
"Beyonce didn’t think about politics before me, and that’s true," she added at one point.
