Controversial rapper M.I.A. has revealed that the NFL is trying to shake her down for $16.6 million as a result of her one-finger salute, in which she flashed her middle finger at the camera (and for all the world to see) while performing as part of Madonna's Super Bowl Halftime Performance in 2012.
Lily Allen -- is anyone calling her Lily Rose Cooper? -- returned to performing and in an unusual 'fashion,' literally. The singer, who had retired from music and just birthed her second daughter, Marnie, hit the stage at a raunchy lingerie fashion show in Paris (Feb. 26).
Congrats to One Direction, Lana Del Rey and Frank Ocean! Each was honored with a U.K. Music Video Award.
While rap may have started out as a mostly male-dominated genre, the ladies who have been successful in the rap game over the years are just as good at spitting hard and fast rhymes as their guy counterparts. But out of newer rhymestresses like Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. and legendary names like Missy Elliott and Lauryn Hill, who gets your vote for the best female rapper?
Rapper M.I.A. has been dropping a slew of remixes this past week for her latest single 'Bad Girls,' which will all appear on her 'Bad Girls -- The Remixes' EP (due out on July 3). M.I.A.'s newest remix was crafted by Danja's production company N.A.R.S. and it features Missy Elliott and Azealia Banks -- two ladies who know how to spit lyrical hot fire.
Madonna said she was more nervous about her 2012 Super Bowl halftime performance last week (Feb. 5) than any other in her career -- and understandably so, since she had to adhere to the NFL's rules, knew she was stepping into the Holy Grail of American sports and that she is a perfectionist who likes to practice. She likened it to winning a war and surviving, so it was an important performance for her. So it's no shock that M.I.A. did not maker Madge happy after flipping the middle finger during her part.
Madonna has remained mum about rapper M.I.A. flipping the bird during the Super Bowl halftime show, save for a terse comment via her publicist, who said "It was not rehearsed or planned. No comment from Madonna."
While Madge may not be issuing a public statement about the matter, we wouldn't be surprised if she is fuming over the incident, since she promised a clean, nipple-free show and it was her show, not M.I.A.'s. The 'Bad Girls' singer stole Madge's thunder a little -- we know Madonna doesn't take too kindly to that!
While some stars have relatively simple demands in their riders (see Nicki Minaj and Adele), others are pretty high maintenance. Joining the diva ranks? Kanye West and M.I.A.