Why M.I.A. is a typical desi

By On September 18, 2007 · 23 Comments

by guest contributor Manish, originally published at Ultrabrown

For all the hipster posing, Mathangi Arulpragasam is a typical desi. Beneath the misunderstood, art school retrowear beats the heart of a traditionalist:

  • She named her albums after her dad and mom
  • She makes her own clothes
  • She brags about what she can get for ten dolla
  • Some of her best songs are just Bollywood remixes
  • She came to America via another desi diaspora
  • She goes by a nickname because nobody can pronounce her real one
  • She comes from a village and lives in a ghetto
  • She has visa issues, and the government thinks she’s a terrorist
  • She wears loud and dated fashions
  • She’s hung up on homeland politics
  • She hates being hit on by geeks speaking her native language
  • She’s really just in the import/export business
  • Like uncles, she can follow a melody but she can’t really sing

Maybe the next two albums will be named Kali and Sugu after her siblings

 
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