M.I.A. Represents

“Bona fide hustler” releases How Many Votes Fix Mix EP, watches “Paper Planes” hit #5, opens school, starts label, launches clothing line.

By Blurt Staff

M.I.A., that pop culture terrorist, is blowing up. First, her 2007 album Kala is sticky with the critical drool, and her “Paper Planes” single has entered the Top Five on Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles chart—and T.I., with Kanye West, Jay-Z and Lil Wayne, uses a sample of the tune on “Swagga Like Us,” from his # album Paper Trail. Now M.I.A.’s opening a school, starting her own label, launching a clothing line (which, yeah, is kind of old news), and dropping the How Many Votes Fix Mix EP, which features two new tracks and a remix of “Boyz” featuring Jay-Z. The gory details, straight from the press release:

Reenergized, re-recognized, and reverberating worldwide, M.I.A. will release the How Many Votes Fix Mix on iTunes October 28th (and everywhere else November 4th.) The Digital EP will feature a remix Boyz featuring Jay-Z as well as two unreleased tracks: “Shells” and “Far Far.”

And as the world takes to Kala, M.I.A. takes on the world—literally. This past August, Maya Arulpragasam (aka, M.I.A.) partnered with non-profit organization Youth Action International and opened the rebuilt and renovated Becky Primary School in Liberia. New additions include more classrooms, a library, computer labs, and a new playground. Plus, free tuition for its 625 students. She also launched her own clothing line, featuring T-shirts, jackets, and hoodies of her own design.

M.I.A. started her own label, N.E.E.T., which stands for Not in Education, Employment, or Training. Her first signing is Baltimore’s own Rye Rye, whose debut album is due early next year.

GET INVOLVED: www.youthactioninternational.org/yai

GET DRESSED: http://shop.miauk.com/category/13409-okley-run

GET DOWN: http://www.myspace.com/mia