M.I.A. Pays Tribute to Beyoncé By Remixing Her Feminist Anthem 'Flawless'
"Men and women are fiftay-fiftay."
Ever the provocateur, M.I.A. teased her forthcoming "Double Bubble Trouble" music video in epic fashion, and now she's dropped her remix of Beyoncé's feminist anthem "Flawless," — it's as pristine as the original. The track, called "Baddygirl 2," re-imagines the trap-laced number with even more vigor and boasts a sample of another one of B's empowering anthems, 2008's "Diva."
As M.I.A puts it in the remix, it's is a tribute "for the woman and of course Bey-on-cé." It's also a play-on-lyrics teemed with a call for equality: "My surfboard bitches ride waves, love, all day / Men and women are fiftay-fiftay."
The original, socially-minded song, which was unveiled back in December, is a mix of Bey's "Bow Down / I Been On," and Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's speech "We should all be feminists." The excerpt she calls attention to is as follows:
"We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls, 'You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise you will threaten the man.' Because I am female, I am expected to aspire to marriage. I am expected to make my life choices always keeping in mind that marriage is the most important. Now marriage can be a source of joy and love and mutual support. But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage and we don't teach boys the same? We raise girls to see each other as competitors – not for jobs or for accomplishments, which I think can be a good thing, but for the attention of men. We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are. Feminist: the person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes."
M.I.A.'s tribute to Beyoncé comes at a fitting time on the heels of bell hooks calling Bey an anti-feminist terrorist. We're going to go ahead and assume that she's an active member of The Beygency acting with due retaliation.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.
-
Duchess Sophie Channels Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle in Her 60th Birthday Portrait With Some Royal Fashion Staples
The Duchess of Edinburgh opted for designers favored by other members of the Royal Family.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
How Kamala Harris Dressed for President Trump's Second Inauguration
She left a style legacy as the first woman Vice President.
By Halie LeSavage Last updated
-
Cecile Richards, Former Planned Parenthood President and Women's Rights Activist, Has Died at Age 67
"Our hearts are broken today but no words can do justice to the joy she brought to our lives."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Let Ethel Cain's Defiance Guide You Through 2025
In the wake of Donald Trump's re-election, the indie singer's outspokenness has become a balm for fans.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
ROSÉ Is Forging a New Path for K-Pop Idols Going Solo
With her debut album 'rosie,' the BLACKPINK artist has released the most vulnerable album from a K-pop star yet.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
TWICE Shares What Music Shaped Them—And What's on Their Playlist Now
With their new mini-album 'STRATEGY' out, the K-pop girl group opens up about their musical preferences for the 'Marie Claire' series "Listen Up."
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Meet Gracie Lawrence, Who Plays Kacey in ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ Season 3
The actress-slash-musician opens up about her new role in the Max comedy as the group's new suitemate.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
The 27 Best Biopics About Musicians of All Time
We're still stunned by these performances—many of which took home Oscars.
By Nicole Briese Published
-
Tate McRae Shares What Music Shaped Her—And What's on Her Playlist Now
With her new album 'So Close to What' out soon, the pop star opens up about her musical preferences for the 'Marie Claire' series "Listen Up."
By Sadie Bell Published
-
The Ascension of Sophie Thatcher
With ‘Heretic’ in theaters and her debut EP out now, the ‘Yellowjackets’ star is believing in herself and her art more than ever.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
Beyoncé Receives Her First Grammy Nominations in the Country Categories for 'Cowboy Carter'—As She Should Have
Queen Bey is also the most-nominated of an artist this year.
By Sadie Bell Published