Kid Cudi Removes M.I.A. From Tour Following Offensive Onstage Rant

Kid Cudi is making a lineup change mid-tour and it’s not quiet.

The rapper confirmed that M.I.A. has been removed from the tour following backlash over comments she made during a recent stop in Dallas. While on stage, M.I.A. went on a rant that didn’t land well with the crowd, drawing boos and quickly making its rounds online.

M.I.A.’s rant included comments referencing politics and immigration, including a comment about being “canceled for being a brown Republican voter,” along with remarks tied to visas and her song “Illegal.”

Cudi addressed it directly, saying he made it clear before the tour started that he didn’t want anything offensive during his shows. After hearing from fans upset about her comments, he decided to move forward without her. And that was that.

M.I.A. didn’t stay quiet. She pushed back online, defending her statements and clarifying that part of her set tied into older material and personal experiences, including issues around visas within her team.

Still, the moment had already picked up traction, and the situation adds to a growing list of controversies surrounding M.I.A. in recent years, from social media takes to public statements that have kept her in headlines as much as her music.

For Cudi, the move feels simple. Protect the energy of the show, or change the show, and in this case, that meant giving M.I.A. the boot.