Songs

M.I.A. – “OLA/Foreign Friend”

blame it on Patrick Glynn March 17, 2016
mia-ola-foreign-friend

The music world’s favorite vigilante, M.I.A., returns with a double-sided loosie, “OLA/Foreign Friend.” Over the last year, the Sri Lankan emcee has used her platform to address immigration issues worldwide, highlighted by her “Borders” visual released in November. With her latest release, she seems to be continuing the trend starting with the cover art — showing a slew of people trying to climb a protected border.

“At the border I see the patroller cruising past in their car/Creeping in my socks and slippers, Mexicans say ‘hola!’,” she spits as a sped up sample from The Lion King’s “Circle of Life” blares beneath. Mathangi has never been one short of confidence, and it continues as she’s prepared to address social issues — like immigration — on the largest stage: “Most of the things I do, they banned it, but I’mma still do it, I’m a bandit.”

Along with the release of the song, she delivered a message on her SoundCloud page:

TO ALL MY FLYPIRATES and DJS – THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT !!!! LIVE FROM THE MEXICAN BORDER OLA !!!! MIA ON THE WAVES

Hopefully this, combined with the extension of 2014’s “Boom,” shows M.I.A. season on the fringe of arriving.