M.I.A. Puts Her Finger Away, Touches Down After Messy NFL Drama

 Cyrus Langhorne

Nearly a year after vowing to fight the National Football League (NFL) over her now-infamous middle finger halftime show at Super Bowl XLVI, rapper M.I.A. has reached a settlement.

 

Although details are limited, an M.I.A. lawyer said an agreement was made Friday (August 22).

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An attorney for M.I.A. says his client and the NFL have reached a settlement ending their multimillion dollar dispute over the Sri Lankan rapper's flash of the middle finger during her 2012 Super Bowl halftime performance with Madonna. Attorney Howard E. King said in a statement Friday that the two had reached a confidential settlement, but offered no further details. (Fox Sports)

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Last September, the international star stood up for herself and questioned the NFL's real issue in a video recording.

The "Born Free" musician argued that if people zoom out from the photo of her and her middle finger, they'll find at least 10 to 15 African-American cheerleaders under the age of 16 that the Material Girl recruited from a local Indianapolis high school who struck very sexually provocative poses. "So now [the NFL is] scapegoating me into figuring out the goal posts on what is offensive in America," said the 38-year-old hitmaker. "Like, is my finger offensive or is an underage black girl with her legs wide open more offensive to the family audience?" (E! Online)

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The rapper also pointed out the true intention of the NFL's lawsuit.

M.I.A. (real name Mathangi Arulpragasam) added that the league's legal action is a massive waste of time and money, and her attorney has already solicited fans to send in any examples of bad behavior by NFL personnel not in line with its purportedly family-friendly image. "They want me on my knees and say sorry so they can slap me on my wrists. And basically say it's okay for me to promote being sexually exploited as a female than to display female empowerment through being punk rock," she declared. "That is what it boils down to, and I'm being sued for it." (E! Online)

Buzz behind the NFL's $1.5 million demand bubbled online in mid-September 2013.

News broke last week that the NFL had been quietly waging a serious legal war against MIA, the singer who flipped off the camera during Madonna's Super Bowl performance during the 2012 halftime show. Since then, MIA has asked fans to submit evidence of NFL wrongdoing (including, but not limited to, bounties on hits, athlete injuries and post-career health issues). On Monday, the singer took things a step further by releasing a video of herself comparing what she deems the "sexual exploitation" of Madonna's backup dancers, who she says were young girls under the age of 16 and performed suggestive dances at the same moment she flipped her finger. The league wants $1.5 million from MIA. (Huffington Post)