M.I.A. has released a music video for her new single “Borders,” which shows the British rapper taking on the European migrant crisis.
The video, which was self-produced, features the rapper joining migrants as they climb fences, wade through water, and crowd together on boats.
At one point on the video, M.I.A., who is of Sri Lankan decent, can also be seen walking on water.
She raps: “Borders, what’s up with that? Politics, what’s up with that? Police shots, what’s up with that? Identities, what’s up with that? Your privilege, what’s up with that?”
Among the rapper’s refrains are the lyrics: “Guns blows door to the system. Yeah, f*ck ’em when we say we’re not with them. We’re solid and we don’t need to kick them. This is North, South, East, and Western.”
In a statement on Twitter, M.I.A. explained her motivation for creating the track and video:
I want to dedicate this video to my uncle Bala, my icon and role model. One of the first Tamil migrants to come to the U.K. in the 60s who went to inspire so many people as a creative, daring man with so much swag that everything I do doesn’t even touch his sides. Thank you for helping my family come to England and taking us out of Sri Lanka and saving us. Everything I became was to say thank you to you!
“Borders” is from her new album Matahdatah.
Rolling Stone reports that the rapper previously said of Matahdatah, “The concept for this LP is broader then a border.”
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