The 500 - #393 - Kala - M.I.A.

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 393

Album Title: Kala
Artist: M.I.A.
Genre:  Dance, World, Hip Hop
Recorded: 2006-2007 (Multiple Global Locations)
Released: August, 2007
My age at release: 42
How familiar was I with it before this week: Two songs
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Boyz

Kala by M.I.A. (2007)

In 2009, it was virtually impossible to escape the infectiously catchy single Paper Planes from Kala, the second studio release by British singer, songwriter, producer and activist M.I.A. Paper Planes first crossed my radar when I saw the trailer for the film Pineapple Express. The song began with a cleverly remixed sample from Straight to Hell, a 1982 single from The Clash.

EP single of Straight to Hell by The Clash (1982) 

The jarring chorus demands attention. Singing children are interrupted by three gun shots punctuated by the familiar ring of a mechanical cash register. A few months later, Paper Planes was featured prominently in the Academy Award winning film, Slumdog Millionaire and I wanted to learn more.  

In 2008, YouTube was still in its infancy. In fact, the free video sharing website was not yet showing commercials. "Surfing the Tube" became a popular pastime as viewers switched from televisions to computer screens for their entertainment. 

I was among the converts, regularly plugging in my headphones to allow my shift-working wife her much needed sleep. Hours were spent down this virtual rabbit-hole, watching videos or listening to music while simultaneously researching information on corresponding web pages.

It was on one of these auditory and informational explorations that I learned more about M.I.A. and her incredible journey from the Sri Lankan Civil War to refugee status in London, England, to global superstardom. Her music included powerful political messages about illegal immigration, poverty, capitalism and violence. All of this, cleverly hidden among catchy riffs, dance-hall beats and hip-hop-inspired melodies borrowed and remixed from a array of eclectic sources, including Bollywood film, punk rock, playground rhyme and even the Australian aboriginal wind instrument, the digeridoo. 

M.I.A. (Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasm) 2013 

Summarizing the fascinating life of M.I.A. (born Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasm) in a short blog post is a challenge. However, there is one interesting snippet worth sharing.

Maya was born in London, England, in 1975 to Arul Pragasam, an engineer, writer and activist, and his wife, a seamstress, Kala, who is the namesake of this record. The family moved back to Sri Lanka when Maya was six months old. Her father became a significant figure in a militant organization struggling for an independent state for Tamils within Sri Lanka. His group was connected to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Logo for the LTTE

Eventually, the family were forced into hiding, assuming false identities. Maya, now eight, attended a Catholic school where she gravitated to the arts. Surprisingly, she recalls this as a "happy time", despite poverty, hunger and the ever-present threat posed by the Sri Lankan military. Students were trained to dive to the floor when passing soldiers were inclined to fire bullets through the school house windows. Her father visited sporadically, but to protect the family, he was introduced to Maya as an uncle. She was in her mid-teens when she learned that her uncle was, in fact, her dad.

Maya and her father Arul (2007)

In 1986, the family returned to London as refugees, living in a public housing project called Phipps Bridge Estates. The area was plagued by crime and, as one of the few Asian families living there, she faced racism daily. 

In an amazing quirk of fate, her mother secured employment as a seamstress with the Royal Family. Her duties included the intricate sewing required for medals which were worn by the Royals and also awarded to citizens.

M.I.A. receiving her M.B.E from Prince William

In 2019, Maya, was recognized with an MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for her contributions to the arts. The medal presented to her by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, was hand-stitched by her mother. 

M.I.A. and her mother Kala following the MBE ceremony.

Maya, now 45, continues to make music and is involved in numerous charitable causes -- including efforts to bring justice to Tamils for alleged war crimes perpetrated during the decades-long Sri Lankan Civil War.