Sri Lankan rapper MIA has been controversially dropped from this year’s upcoming Afropunk Festival. This was due to comments she made about ‘Black Lives Matter’.
The festival launched in 2005 in New York and is set to take place at London’s Alexandra Place on 24th September. The event hosts music such as Hip Hop, Soul and R&B artists, in which MIA, most known well known for. Her single ‘Paper Planes’, was set to headline the festival. However, due to controversial comments she made about Black Lives Matter, she received a backlash of negative comments. Thus forcing her to publically announce that she would not perform due to comments she made.
Festival organisers had previously denied that MIA was no longer performing at the festival; however they have now made an official statement clarifying the situation confirming that she will not play Afropunk.
A replacement headliner is set to be announced shortly.
Written by Jusi Sahota
