M.I.A. On The Pineapple Express

So, thought I was super ahead-of-the-game since I'd heard this song (Paper Planes) way back in November 2007 when no one else thought it was cool. To my surprise Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam (known by many as M.I.A.) has been involved in this here music thing since 2004. Arulpragasam is a accomplished visual artist and has released 2 albums. The 31 year old writer, singer, producer, visual artist became widely known in 2004 for the file sharing of her two singles Sunshowers & Galang. (So you mean all I have to do is get me a microphone & video camera and file share my songs in order to become famous? Ok I'm on it!) M.I.A.'s style of rapping/singing has most commonly been compared to Santogold. (see Fools Gold? No Santogold) In all honesty the lyrics (Paper Planes) are complete garbage, but really who cares. Check some of the garbage below!

I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make 'em all day
I get one down in a second if you wait

Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit 'em
Lethal poison through their system

Hmmm that shit sounds kinda crazy but like I've said before its all about gimmicks and marketability. I'm sure this song alone contributed generously to box office ticket sales for Pineapple Express's opening weekend.(See chart below) I think I'm more impressed with M.I.A. being a prominent visual artist. According to Wikipedia, "Arulpragasam's first public exhibition of paintings in 2001 at the Euphoria Shop in Portobello, London, featured candy coloured spray-paint and stencil pictures of the Tamil rebellion movement. Graffitied tigers and palm trees mixed with orange, green and pink camouflage, bombs, guns and fighters on chip board off-cuts and canvases. The show was nominated for the Alternative Turner Prize,(Jude Law was among early buyers of her art) and a monograph book of the collection was published by Pocko, simply titled M.I.A." Given that I'm familiar with her upbringing I can understand why her artwork is reminiscent of someone suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. (You can see excerpts of M.I.A.'s past all throughout her artwork) Well in the end, Jude Law purchased her art and her single Paper Planes made the iTunes top 100 downloaded songs, Billboard Hot 100 as well as was featured on the soundtrack of box office hit Pineapple Express. Not bad...not bad at all! The video is dope in that weird "I wear my pants backwards and use finger pant on my face kinda way". This girl is on the Pineapple Express to fame. :o)

***BTW I'm super hype the video was shot 3 blocks from my house