I'd be lying if I acted like a hardcore M.I.A. fan, although I have no doubts that they're out there. I had never really heard too much of her music, although I had read about her pretty regularly, whether it be critics raving about her unique take on hip-hop or various entertainment writers reporting on her legal situation in the US as a result of an apparent speculated tie to foreign terrorists. Regardless, it was all very, very intriguing, and so when I read the review of her new album Kala in Rolling Stone and saw her tracks posted all over everyone's blogs, I had to see for myself what all the hype was about. Now that I have, I'd still be lying if I acted like I was a major fan, but after hearing just a handful of songs, I'll readily admit that there is certainly potential room for growth in that area. Like most of the reviews I've read have stated, the material on Kala doesn't really compare to anything else that comes immediately to mind, at least not directly. It's more like a mashing together of many different styles and influences, but don't be mistaken, she's no Gwen Stefani knock-off. And whether you like the music or not, I believe one thing is for sure: the music crosscuts so many conventions that it has to be important. It blurs the generic lines of pop, hip-hop, and rock, as well as gender and national boundaries (she's from Bangladesh) to become something bigger than itself. It may not be the most popular music in America right now, or even the world at large, but it just might be the most evident prototype for the future of popular music. And don't forget, you heard that hear first.
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