M.I.A kicked off Kid Cudi’s Rebel Ragers Tour amid viral rants

Kid Cudi announced that “Paper Planes” rapper M.I.A. has been removed from his Rebel Ragers Tour after a viral rant that prompted boos from the audience.

Kid Cudi announced that M.I.A. has been axed from his Rebel Ragers Tour.

The “Pursuit of Happiness” rapper, real name Scott Mescudi, gave his fans an update on the change on his Instagram story on Monday afternoon, May 4.

“M.I.A. is no longer on this tour. I told my management to send a notice to her team before we started the tour that I didn’t want anything offensive at my shows, cuz I already knew what time it was, and I was assured things were understood,” Cudi wrote.

Earlier this year, Cudi announced that M.I.A., best known for her 2007 hit “Paper Planes,” would be one of the guests joining him for select dates of his 30-city North American tour. During the Dallas show on Saturday, May 2, she went on a diatribe about her political views and other remarks, prompting boos from the audience, according to Variety, Consequence of Sound and viral videos circulating on social media.

In his announcement, Cudi said he has been inundated with messages from fans “that were upset by her rants.”

“After the last couple shows, I’ve been flooded with messages from fans that were upset by her rants,” he continued. “This, to me, is very disappointing, and I won’t have someone on my tour making offensive remarks that upsets my fanbase. Thank you for understanding.”

M.I.A responds to backlash

According to reports, M.I.A told the crowd she can’t perform her 2010 song “Illygirl,” “but some of you could be in the audience,” the rapper continued. In a video posted on X, she proclaims, “I’m illegal. Half of my team isn’t here because they didn’t get the visa.”

Concertgoers claimed that the U.K. artist spoke about being canceled after sharing that she’s a Republican, per the outlets.

M.I.A has since responded to the backlash in a fiery X post on Monday afternoon.

“I wrote Illygal on the Maya LP A song from 2010. I started this intro to the song with the statement saying I’m Illygal and I [said] my team hasn’t gotten [visas] yet,” she wrote.

According to her post, M.I.A. said she performed songs that had lyrics saying forget “the law, which I still believe, if the law is unjust.” She added, “Do not gas light my words.”

In a separate post, she quoted a user who said she endorsed President Donald Trump, responding, in part, “Don’t be an agent of division, I can’t vote in the US.”

Rebel Ragers Tour dates

Other guests on Kid Cudi’s tour include OutKast MC Big Boi, Canadian DJ A-Trak, Chicago producer/DJ breakout duo Me N U, and longtime collaborator Dot Da Genius – listed with Powers Pleasanton for what is dubbed “GLKPRTY.” Here’s the tour schedule:

April 28 – Phoenix – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
April 29 – Albuquerque, New Mexico – Isleta Amphitheater
May 1 – Austin – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
May 2 – Dallas – Dos Equis Pavilion
May 5 – Birmingham, Alabama – Coca-Cola Amphitheater
May 6 – Atlanta – Lakewood Amphitheatre
May 8 – Tampa, Florida – Benchmark International Arena
May 9 – West Palm Beach, Florida – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
May 12 – Raleigh, North Carolina – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
May 13 – Charlotte, North Carolina – Truliant Amphitheater
May 15 – Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio – Blossom Music Center
May 16 – Cincinnati – Riverbend Music Center
May 19 – St. Louis – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
May 22 – Tinley Park, Illinois – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
May 23 – Clarkston, Michigan – Pine Knob Music Theatre
May 26 – Toronto – RBC Amphitheatre
May 27 – Grand Rapids, Michigan – Acrisure Amphitheater
May 29 – Bristow, Virginia – Jiffy Lube Live
May 30 – New York City – Madison Square Garden
June 2 – Camden, New Jersey – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Jun 3 – Hartford, Conneticut – The Meadows Music Theatre
June 5 – Mansfield, Massachuetts – Xfinity Center
June 6 – Bangor, Maine – Maine Savings Amphitheater
June 8 – Syracuse, New York – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
June 10 – Noblesville, Indiana – Ruoff Music Center
June 12 – Denver – JUNKYARD
June 13 – Salt Lake City – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
June 16 – Auburn, Washington – White River Amphitheatre
June 19 – Vancouver – Rogers Arena
June 20 – Ridgefield, Washington – Cascades Amphitheater
June 23 – Mountain View, California – Shoreline Amphitheatre
June 26 – Los Angeles – Crypto.com Arena
June 27 – Chula Vista, California – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre