"The first thing he told me to do is get plastic surgery": M.I.A. lashes out at Jay-Z and Roc Nation

Recently, British rapper M.I.A. took to social media to make allegations against music giants Beyonce, Jay-Z, and his music company Roc Nation. According to the former Roc Nation artist, when she signed with the label, Jay-Z suggested that she get plastic surgery.

In a recent video, which was uploaded on Instagram on November 30, she alleged:

“Even when I met Jay-Z and I signed to Rock Nation, the first thing he told me to do is get plastic surgery. I'm not insecure because I would have gotten plastic surgery. So their argument of Maya’s fucking insecure, that's why she needs to fu*king massage her ego. Fails! Fails!”

She continued:

“Because you turn around and ask those fu*king wh*re what women do you know who haven't had plastic surgery around you? All of them have. I'm the only one who didn't, which already proves the fact. It's not insecurity. Because if I was insecure I would have done that a hundred times over.”

This isn’t the only time she said something like this. Hypefresh reported in their November 30 article that in a recent interview with Huck Magazine this week, the musician claimed the same about Jay-Z and Roc Nation.

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M.I.A. further called out Jay-Z and Roc Nation for forcing her to change her appearance

The singer left Jay-Z's company in 2014 (Image via Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Singer M.I.A., who turned 50 this year, further talked about rejecting particular beauty standards. In the same social media video on November 30, she alleged that:

“Even when I met Jay-Z and I signed to Rock Nation, the first thing he told me to do is get plastic surgery. And I didn't. Because it's okay. Guess what? I'm 50. And I'm totally fine with that fact. I am because, yeah, I fu*king took off when I was 30.”

The singer concluded:

“Because it took 10 more fc*king years than any other motherfu*ker. Because I was the first and I was the new. And I was like making something interesting happen, that wasn't fu*king happening before.”

Meanwhile, M.I.A.’s outburst stems from the last decade when she left Roc Nation. She became popular after her 2008 hit Paper Planes. The singer was then employed by Roc Nation in 2012, but she abruptly left the company in 2014 without giving a reason.

Then, according to a report published on February 12, 2024, by Exron Music, 10 years later, she blamed Roc Nation and Jay-Z for the fall of her music career. She also held Beyonce accountable for the same. She revealed old memories and discussions in a series of angry tweets, shedding light on the things and people that are said to have contributed to the termination of her career.

As per the same Hypefresh report, in the same interview with Huck Magazine, M.I.A. went on to say that Jay-Z's recommendation for plastic surgery was part of a larger trend to force women to meet predetermined standards of beauty. She went on to say that the proposal was startling and a sign of the industry's preference for appearance over creativity.

The plastic surgery allegation is not the only issue that M.I.A. reportedly faced with the company. She also claimed that the label deserted her throughout her significant life events, such as the custody battle she was having with her ex-partner, Benjamin Bronfman, over her kid.

The singer further claimed that when she needed Roc Nation's help, they stopped talking to her and even allegedly erased her messages.

According to the same Hypefesh report, M.I.A. further asserted that Jay-Z's company was "shadow-banning" her songs and copying her style for other signed artists. Her tenure at Roc Nation, which was said to give the represented stars complete creative freedom, is further tarnished by these accusations.