British Rapper MIA Denied Entry Into U.S.

British rapper MIA was reportedly refused a visa by American immigration officials due to the political content of her lyrics. MIA's lyrics are said to support the Sri Lankan political group Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan armed forces. The rapper, born Maya Arulpragasa, was planning to visit the United States to work on her new album with various Hip-Hop producers. Shortly after the incident, the London-born Sri Lankan rapper posted a blog on her Web site telling fans, "Roger, roger, do you hear me, over? The U.S. immigration won't let me in, I'm locked out. They won't let me in. Now I'm making my album outside the borders." Last year, MTV banned MIA's single "Sunflowers" because it was a song about a suicide bomber.