Matangi showcases M.I.A.’s dynamic life story overflows from within the self-captured frames of her life as the daughter of a rebel struggle leader in Sri Lanka to growing up in the United Kingdom
THE PLAY LIST
Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B: It’s my duty as the arts desk millennial to keep up with pop culture’s latest come-up princess, and a little mumble rap ain’t ever hurt nobody. As the album’s name suggests, Invasion of Privacy lets us into Cardi B’s mind with its generously emotional, intimate and hilarious bars. Unfortunately, I have nothing meaningful to say about how the album will change your life and I’m not ready to label her a wordsmith. What I will say is that it’s a great complement to Migos’s album Culture II and it’s perfect for young grooves. (ZH)
Matangi/MAYA/M.I.A.: Ahead of the premiere of her feature documentary at the Encounters Documentary Festival and two-city tour in South Africa next month, I had the pleasure of watching the quintessentially M.I.A. film at the Hot Docs documentary festival in Toronto earlier this month. Directed by her university classmate, Stephen Loveridge, this is part an observation, part personal essay in which M.I.A.’s dynamic life story overflows from within the self-captured frames of her life as the daughter of a rebel struggle leader in Sri Lanka to growing up in the United Kingdom, detailing her music career, activism and commitment to her art. (MB)
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (JAY-Z): Recently, more for Letterman than for JAY-Z, I watched his interview series My Next Guest. The content of the JAY-Z interview was, I guess, to be expected, and Letterman was a flattering and conversational interviewer. But the really nifty trick was his inclusion of a recording session at Rick Rubin’s home studio. It featured a singer I had never heard before (Madison Ryann Ward) performing a solo song and then a duet with a band member or producer-type guy. With Rubin being tangentially linked to Hov (they have collaborated before), it felt, however nebulously, like I had somehow got to know JAY-Z more with this studio encounter than with the interview. (KS)
The Lists were compiled by Milisuthando Bongela, Kwanele Sosibo, and Zaza Hlalethwa