Last summer, M.I.A. said that she would have a new album and documentary out before the end of the year. Since then, her Matangi full-length has been repeatedly delayed, and now she's warring with her record label over the completion and release of the documentary. This dispute has come to light after director Steve Loveridge leaked a trailer online.
As Pitchfork points out, the filmmaker posted the clip to YouTube and explained on his blog that it was made in 2012 to show Interscope what the film would look like. He's evidently not happy about the delays surrounding the film, and he wrote, "Reblog the shit out of this and maybe they'll wake up..."
The trailer was promptly removed from YouTube over a copyright claim, but you can still watch it on DDotOmen. It gives a glimpse into M.I.A.'s family life and includes interviews with the likes of Kanye West, Spike Jonze, Switch, Jimmy Iovine and more.
Loveridge additionally posted an email exchange that he had with a Roc National rep about the trailer leak. The representative said that there was funding and "legal stuff" yet to be resolved, but promised that the film would go ahead in time for Matangi.
He or she added, "The timing of this leak is not good, as it screws with everything we've been working on setting up MATANGI."
Loveridge responded, "I really couldn't give a flying fuck. Count me out. Would rather die than work on this..."
M.I.A. is evidently on Loveridge's side, since the singer retweeted links to the clip and wrote, "im gonna need @kickstarter and my fans to help make this exsist , ive been black listed through normal channels !!!!!!!"
She added, "Thank you for UR support> its a fight to get to me, but like wise its a fight for me to get to u. #matangi throw ur middle finger mudra up."
It remains to be seen if the film will be funded and released, or if Loveridge's apparent exit from the project has put it on hold indefinitely. It's also unclear when Matangi will finally be out. The recent video for "Bring the Noize" is below.
As Pitchfork points out, the filmmaker posted the clip to YouTube and explained on his blog that it was made in 2012 to show Interscope what the film would look like. He's evidently not happy about the delays surrounding the film, and he wrote, "Reblog the shit out of this and maybe they'll wake up..."
The trailer was promptly removed from YouTube over a copyright claim, but you can still watch it on DDotOmen. It gives a glimpse into M.I.A.'s family life and includes interviews with the likes of Kanye West, Spike Jonze, Switch, Jimmy Iovine and more.
Loveridge additionally posted an email exchange that he had with a Roc National rep about the trailer leak. The representative said that there was funding and "legal stuff" yet to be resolved, but promised that the film would go ahead in time for Matangi.
He or she added, "The timing of this leak is not good, as it screws with everything we've been working on setting up MATANGI."
Loveridge responded, "I really couldn't give a flying fuck. Count me out. Would rather die than work on this..."
M.I.A. is evidently on Loveridge's side, since the singer retweeted links to the clip and wrote, "im gonna need @kickstarter and my fans to help make this exsist , ive been black listed through normal channels !!!!!!!"
She added, "Thank you for UR support> its a fight to get to me, but like wise its a fight for me to get to u. #matangi throw ur middle finger mudra up."
It remains to be seen if the film will be funded and released, or if Loveridge's apparent exit from the project has put it on hold indefinitely. It's also unclear when Matangi will finally be out. The recent video for "Bring the Noize" is below.
