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While opening for Kid Cudi on his Rebel Ragers tour, M.I.A. went on a monologue that caused the audience to boo her. As she spoke to the crowd, she spoke about being a Republican and speculated that people in the audience were illegal immigrants. As the backlash began to spread online, Cudi announced her departure from the tour. 

M.I.A. went on a rant while opening for Kid Cudi

During a May 2 date on Cudi’s tour, M.I.A. spoke directly to the crowd.

“I’ve been canceled for many reasons,” she said, per Consequence of Sound. “I never thought I would be canceled for being a brown Republican voter.”

She then told the crowd that she couldn’t play her song “Illygirl,” leading her to speculate about the citizenship status of the audience. 

“I can’t do ‘Illegal,’ though some of you could be in the audience,” she said.

At this point, the boos grew louder, leading M.I.A. to attempt damage control.

“I’m illegal — half of my team aren’t here because they couldn’t get their visa.”

Notably, M.I.A. is a citizen of the United Kingdom, not the United States. As a result, she cannot vote in American elections, though she did endorse Donald Trump. 

Kid Cudi said M.I.A. is no longer on his tour

After audience members posted videos of the performance online, the clips began to spread quickly. Before long, Cudi addressed the situation on his Instagram account. He said he’d always felt trepidatious about including her on the tour.

“TOUR UPDATE: M.I.A is no longer on this tour,” he wrote. “I told my management to send a notice to her team before we started tour that I didn’t want anything offensive at my shows, cuz I already knew what time it was, and I was assured things were understood.”

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He said a number of his fans reached out to him about her comments.

“After the last couple shows, I’ve been flooded with messages from fans that were upset by her rants. This, to me, is very disappointing, and I wont have someone on my tour making offensive remarks that upsets my fanbase. Thank you for understanding. Rager.”

A-Trak, Me N Ü, and Dot Da Genius are still scheduled to open on the tour on certain dates. Big Boi will perform on all dates.

She responded to her firing

Several hours after Cudi made his post, M.I.A. responded with a post of her own.

“I WROTE ILLYGAL ON THE MAYA LP A SONG FROM 2010. I STARTED THIS INTRO TO THE SONG WITH THE STATEMENT SAYING I’M ILLYGAL, AND I SAID MY TEAM HASN’T GOTTEN VISAS YET,” she wrote. “THEN PLAYED A SONG THAT HAD LYRICS SAYING “FU&% THE LAW”, WHICH I STILL BELIEVE, IF THE LAW IS UNJUST F@%& IT. DO NOT GASLIGHT MY WORDS. THAT IS THE WORK OF SATAN.”

She later noted that she will not apologize for her actions.

“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,” she wrote. “I HAVE NO APPOLGY FOR THE JUDGEMENTAL THE WICKED AND THE IGNORENT, FOR THOSE ARE SPIRITS THAT WE MUST OVER COME IN OUR LIVES AND IN THIS WORLD. JESUS RETURNS TO LEAD THE WORLD JUSTLY BECAUSE THERE IS INJUSTICE IN THIS WORLD . IM PROUD OF THOSE WHO FIGHT FOR IT EVERYDAY. GOD BLESS YOU.”

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