There has been an effect of business rap on the output of today's rap music. But I don't think that's the modern day rapper's fault.
M.I.A.In the beginning [of my career] I definitely felt a responsibility because I was representing a bunch of people [Sri lankans] who never got represented before. I felt this responsibility to correct that situation, to be like, "Look, you can't discriminate against refugees and Muslim people and blah, blah, blah . . ."
M.I.A.If it's just politics that's running music, f - k that. I'm out of here! I can't think of anything more boring.
M.I.A.Creativity needs time to harness before it goes out, and because that's difficult, memes have become the creative language.
M.I.A.My uncle was the first brown person to have a market stall on Petticoat Lane in the 1960s. He worked his way up from the street. He was homeless, but eventually he got a car so he could sell from the boot. And by the 1980s, he was a millionaire wholesaling to companies like Topshop. So in a way, fashion put me in England.
M.I.A.