M.I.A.

Had her album Kala not made its debut at the tail end of the summer, "Paper Planes” would have been that explosive jam that every bar played on the patio and drunken slobs would mime. With those signature gunshot blast beats and that Balearic melody borrowed from the Clash’s "Straight to Hell,” Maya’s third single from her sophomore set had everyone reeling over their unanimous favourite album track. With Diplo’s expertise behind the board, the duo (with the assistance of Switch) gave us a memorable nursery rhyme, whilst making it fashionable again to making popping sounds with your hand in the air. See what she can get away with? Well, not with everyone. CBS would have it when M.I.A. appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, castrating the song and forcing Miss Maya to substitute her gun shots for what sounds like a cheap Casio’s idea of toy gun blanks. As pathetic as it was, our fearless warrior still managed to burn the house down (see below).

And how about that blazin’ remix with Rich Boy and UGK’s Bun B? Not to be missed.

M.I.A. "Paper Planes”

Making the song with Diplo


Being censored on Letterman