M.I.A. confirms she’s pregnant

MIA has confirmed that she’s pregnant with fiance Benjamin Brewer.

According to MTV UK:

M.I.A has confirmed that she is pregnant to Pitchfork Media, “I’m creating a baby,” she told the Web site.

The news came after the uber cool artist performed at the Diesel xXx Rock + Roll Circus in Brooklyn last weekend. It had been rumoured earlier in the year that she cancelled her tour due to pregnancy and after displaying a reasonably large baby bump on Saturday night an official confirmation was expected.

M.I.A explained that she was blown away by the news “When I found out I was pregnant and ‘Paper Planes’ was in the iTunes top 10… it seemed like the whole world was reshuffled in one week, and all my plans went out the window.”

The British singer/ producer is expecting the baby with her fiancé Ben Brewer, lead singer of the band Exit, and had an important message for her fans “I got engaged first, then I got pregnant, kids!”

Although she’s working had on the follow up to her album Kala, she’s going to take some time out “I have to do the rounds… go see my family and show them the belly.”

Let’s hope she’s not getting “high like paper,” and is looking after the baby with care.

Foo Fighters to McCain: “Stop Using Our Song”

Another band, this time the Foo Fighters, has issues with the McCain campaign using their song, “My Hero.”

The saddest thing about this is that ‘My Hero’ was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential,” the band said in a statement. “To have it appropriated without our knowledge and used in a manner that perverts the original sentiment of the lyric just tarnishes the song.”

The folks over at the McCain camp are claiming they have full rights to use the song since they already paid licensing fees.

8 Soulful UK Artists that aren’t cracked out a la Amy Winehouse

I love Amy Winehouse’s music…but I’m not sure if I love Amy Winehouse. Let’s just say if I saw her I would probably not talk to her. I’d give her a hamburger and fries without saying a single word. Then I’d run like nobody’s business. At least then, maybe she wouldn’t have to shoplift to get a meal. Since she’s blown up so much and there’s not much American music hitting the scenes, I thought I’d provide some UK alternatives (since it seems as though that’s where all the talent is).

1. Adele

Born: London, England
Influences: Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Aretha Franklin
Albums: 19
Notable Songs: My Same, Right as Rain, Hometown Glory, Chasing Pavements

2. Duffy

Born: Gwynedd, Wales
Influences: Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield
Albums: Rockferry
Notable Songs: Mercy, Warwick Avenue, I’m Scared

3. Corinne Bailey Rae

Born: Leeds, England
Influences: Norah Jones, Billie Holiday, India Arie, Ella Fitzgerald
Albums: Corinne Bailey Rae
Notable Songs: Put Your Records on, Choux Pastry Heart, Like a Star, Trouble Sleeping

4. Joss Stone

Born: Kent England
Influences: Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Angie Stone, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys
Albums: Mind, Body & Soul, The Soul Sessions, Introducing Joss Stone
Notable Songs: Tell Me What We’re Donna Do Now, Don’t Cha Wanna Ride,
Super Duper Love (Are You Diggin’ On Me)

5. Lily Allen

Born: London, England
Influences: Blondie, Shaggy, Prince
Albums: Alright, Still
Notable Songs: Smile, Everythings Just Wonderful, LDN

6. Kate Nash

Born: London, England
Influences: Regina Spektor, Carole King
Albums: Made of Bricks
Notable Songs: Foundations, Merry Happy, Mouthwash

7. Bat for Lashes (aka Natasha Khan)

Born: Brighton, England
Influences: Janis Joplin, Bjork, Steve Reich, Susan Hiller
Albums: Fur and Gold
Notable Songs: What’s a Girl To Do, Prescilla, I’m on Fire, The Wizard

8. Estelle

Born: West London, England
Influences: Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Santogold
Notable Songs: American Boy, You Are, Shine, 1980, Freedom
Albums: The 18th day, Shine

Most uneventful interview EVER…”Who the F*** is Barack?”

I realize this is not breaking news. It’s an oldie but goodie. I just had to bring back XXL’s interview with DMX. Here’s an excerpt:

It's dark and hell is hot. Maybe that's why DMX doesn't know who Barack is.

Are you following the presidential race?
Not at all.

You’re not? You know there’s a Black guy running, Barack Obama and then there’s Hillary Clinton.
His name is Barack?!

Barack Obama, yeah.
Barack?!

Barack.
What the f**k is a Barack?! Barack Obama. Where he from, Africa?

Yeah, his dad is from Kenya.
Barack Obama?

Yeah.
What the f**k?! That ain’t no f**kin’ name, yo. That ain’t that ni**a’s name. You can’t be serious. Barack Obama. Get the f**k outta here.

You’re telling me you haven’t heard about him before.
I ain’t really paying much attention.

I mean, it’s pretty big if a Black…
Wow, Barack! The ni**a’s name is Barack. Barack? Ni**a named Barack Obama. What the f**k, man?! Is he serious? That ain’t his f**kin’ name. I’ma tell this ni**a when I see him, “Stop that bullsh*t. Stop that bullsh*t” [laughs] “That ain’t your f**kin’ name.” Your momma ain’t name you no damn Barack.

So you’re not following the race. You can’t vote right?
Nope.

Is that why you’re not following it?
No, because it’s just—it doesn’t matter. They’re gonna do what they’re gonna do. It doesn’t really make a difference. These are the last years.

But it would be pretty big if we had a first Black president. That would be huge.
I mean, I guess…. What, they gon’ give a dog a bone? There you go. Ooh, we have a Black president now. They should’ve done that shit a long time ago, we wouldn’t be in the f**kin’ position we in now. With world war coming up right now. They done f**ked this shit up then give it to the Black people, “Here you take it. Take my mess.”

Right, exactly.
It’s all a f**kin’ setup. It’s all a setup. All f**kin’ bullsh*t. All bullsh*t. I don’t give a f**k about none of that.

We could have a female president also, Hillary Clinton.
I mean, either way it doesn’t matter. I don’t care. No one person is directly affected by which president, you know, so what does it matter.

Yeah, but the country is.
I guess. The president is a puppet anyway. The president don’t make no damn decisions.

The president…they don’t have that much authority basically?
Nah, never.

But Bush pretty much…
You think Bush is making f**kin’ decisions?

He did, yeah, he f**ked up the country.
He act like he making decisions. He could barely speak! He could barely f**kin’ speak!
Can’t be serious. He ain’t making no damn decisions.

Well Barack has a good chance of winning so that might be something.
Good for him, good for him.

How’s your family and your kids?
They’re good. My son is rapping now.

Did he see you? I’m sure he was inspired by you.
Yeah, yeah. all that. Took him to shows and everything.

To read more of this hilarious interview, go to http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=20332.

Natalie Portman Goes Bollywood on Acid in “Carmensita”

Natalie Portman–along with beau Devendra Banhart–star in his music video “Carmencita,” heavily inspired from Mahabharata and Ramayana, classic Indian Epics–some of the oldest in the world. I think they did a good job with the art direction and some of the captions are pretty funny, but I’m not sure if I love it or if I’m highly offended by it. I try to not to be too sensitive about these things, but if someone made this video about Christians, Muslims, or Jews, people would be throwing a fit and be up in arms about it. But since it depicts Indian Hindu history and folklore, we’re all supposed to find it entertaining and funny. I actually like the song and I enjoy the colors and corny acting in the video, but I’m not sure if I’m totally comfortable with the subject matter. Actually, I’m really more worried about how people who don’t know anything about Indian/Hindu culture might interpret it more than anything else. I’m sure Devendra had good intentions making the video–he was named after an Indian mystic whom his parents followed, so he must be genuinely interested in Indian culture (Plus, he’s a total hippie. Don’t hippies love everyone?).

Living in a country riddled with pockets of cultural ignorance makes me slightly worried…if Obama is accused of partaking in “terrorist fist jabs” for merely giving his wife a friendly pound, what will the people think of this video? Hinduism is pretty hard for the Western mind to comprehend (many still think we worship a pantheon of mythological beings with 6 heads and 10 arms, eat insects a la Indiana Jones, worship idols, think cows are sacred, etc.). The weirdest part of the whole thing is Natalie Portman a.k.a. Natalie Hershlag is one of the most P.C. actresses out there, so this does seem a bit out of character for her.

Am I being overly concerned here? Or is imitation the sincerest form of flattery? See the video for yourself.

P.S. Two extra things I must point out:

• I must say, Natalie Portman makes a beautiful “Indian Princess.”
• Is Devendra aware that his pubes are showing throughout the entire video?

I guess I must accept the fact that Bollywood is all the rage right now, PC or not. Check out the “So You Think You Can Dance” Bollywood number performed by Katee and Joshua (which was wayyyy too over the top, even for Bollywood):