M.I.A. Fries ‘New York Times’ Writer With New Song, Audio Clips

Idolator Staff | May 30, 2010 6:41 pm

As critical as she might be of Google and Lady Gaga, M.I.A. hasn’t written a song about them. Journalist Lynn Hirschberg, however, is another matter. Still hopping mad over the way Hirschberg portrayed her in a brutal new New York Times magazine profile, M.I.A. (aka Maya Arulpragasm) took to her blog today to post a pair of audio clips from her interview with the writer and a new song, which is variably being called “I’m A Singer” or “Haters”. The song is intriguing, but its the audio clips that might do more to counter the magazine article’s depiction of M.I.A. as an hypocritical artist who claims to represent the underprivileged while dining on truffle-flavored french fries. Decide for yourself whether Hirschberg twisted her words.

In a fascinating bit of audio (posted on her blog under the heading “War Crimes And French Fries”), M.I.A. reveals it was Hirschberg – not her – who ordered the truffle fries when the two met at the posh Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills. J’accuse!

In the drowsy tune posted along with the sound bites (Pitchfork notes that it appears to sample the Various Production track “Hater”), M.I.A. seems to take aim at journalists in general, and maybe Hirschberg specifically, when she sings “You write your own reviews to get away with it… You’re a racist, I wouldn’t trust you one bit.”

Hear it for yourself: [wpaudio url=”//idolator.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/M.I.A.-Haters.mp3″ text=”M.I.A. – Haters”] While music stars and media outlets alike have generally sided with Hirschberg, we wonder whether M.I.A.’s latest release will prompt anyone to take a fresh look at the article. And in any case, it’s your move, Lynn.

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