We have no idea what's going on over at Camp M.I.A., but whatever it is, it must be just as awesomely nuts as her new album. Touring, album leaks, cease-and-desist letters, fake-out singles, elusive work visas, tearing Pitchfork a new asshole, and yet she's still got time to make another video for another new single before the album's even officially out? Yes yes, we know, settle down. Here:
A little back-story? One of M.I.A.'s favorite movies as a kid was an amazingly camp Bollywood flick called Disco Dancer (which was also huge in the Soviet Union--go figure). The basic premise is this: A little street urchin-slash-performer named Jimmy and his mother flee Bombay after they are beaten and imprisoned by a wealthy villain whose daughter Jimmy had the gall to befriend (big mistake!), and he vows to return someday to exact his vengeance. He's back 15 years later and while dance-walking down the street, Jimmy is "discovered" and soon replaces the arrogant Sam as disco king of India. Jimmy eventually falls in love with a girl named Rita, who we later discover is not only Sam's sister, but also the daughter of that wealthy villain we hate! (Stay with me.) So Sam and his father have Jimmy nearly beaten to death and in a cruel (but awesome) twist of fate, his mother is electrocuted to death by an electric guitar. No joke. Ok, so, long story short? He goes nuts and gives up disco-dancing forever, and this song? "Jimmy Aaja"? It's Rita's siren song to Jimmy, begging him to come back and dance for us once again. We're sure you can figure out the rest. And M.I.A.? This was her joint back then, apparently. She had a routine set to "Jimmy" that she did at parties--cardboard cutout guitar, cloak, the whole deal. How adorable is that?
