Untitled M.I.A. Documentary

By Marah Eakin | July 9, 2013 | 6:05pm

Aux News Coming Distractions

Though M.I.A.’s new record, Matangi, is seemingly in label limbo hell, a documentary about the controversial singer featuring testimonials from Spike Jonze and Kanye West might see the light of day soon. Well, maybe. The film’s director, Steve Loveridge, recently released a five-and-a-half minute teaser trailer for an as-ye-unnamed film about the singer. And while the clip looks pretty solid, M.I.A.’s label, Roc Nation, had it immediately pulled from YouTube, saying Loveridge wasn’t authorized to release the trailer. It then e-mailed Loveridge, saying the unsanctioned release “screws with everything we’ve been working on setting up Matangi.” Loveridge promptly turned around and quit the project, telling the label (and posting the e-mail to Tumblr) that he “would rather die than work on” the movie anymore.

If Roc Nation really is working on releasing Matangi, that might also be news to M.I.A., who tweeted on Sunday that she’s “been black listed through normal channels” and that she’s “gonna need @kickstarter and my fans to help” make the record see the light of day. In the meantime, M.I.A. is playing several shows this summer—including July dates in Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, and Chicago—and there are still these five-and-a-half minutes to look at.