$20
M.I.A. Lyrics

War, war, war!
The constant talk of war is boring, let's change the subject

Talkin' 'bout y'all's such a bore
Continuing to talk about war is repetitive and unproductive

I'd rather talk about moi!
I want to talk about myself instead, and what I care about

Do you know the cost of A.K.'s up in Africa?
Do you understand the real cost of weapons in Africa, especially in terms of human life?

20 dollars ain't shit to you
$20 may seem insignificant to you, but it's actually the price of an A.K. in Africa

But that's how much they are
The price of an A.K. is only $20, making it an easily accessible and dangerous weapon

Of course they gonna use it to kill a little die
People will inevitably use these cheap and readily available weapons to commit violence and take lives

Is those diamonds
Are those diamonds really worth the harm caused to obtain them?

Helpin' ya?
Do they truly bring you any real benefit or happiness?

Don't you like my bandanna?
My sense of style is important to me

My stains hang low
My clothing shows signs of wear and tear, but I still wear them proudly

On my shirts like ayayay
My clothing is a reflection of my cultural heritage and identity

Monkey brains and banana
I embrace my cultural roots, even if they may seem strange or exotic to others

I'll hit you with my antenna
I'm not afraid to fight back and defend myself

I put soap in my eye
I do unconventional things to alter my appearance or challenge societal norms

Make it red so I look raaa!
I'm not afraid to stand out and draw attention to myself

Ra ra
An expression of excitement or enthusiasm

So I woke up with my holy Koran
I hold my religious beliefs close to me

And found out I like Cadillac
I found that I enjoy material possessions and wealth, despite my humble beginnings

So we shooting 'til the song is up
We keep going and don't give up until our work is done

Little boys are acting up
There are still many societal issues and challenges that need to be addressed

Baby mothers are going crazy
Parenthood can be extremely challenging, especially for single mothers

And the leaders all around
Those in positions of power need to do more to address these problems

Cracking up
Society is on the verge of breaking down and falling apart

We goat rich, we fry
Despite the struggles we face, we still manage to find success and enjoy life

Price of living in a shanty teem
Life in poor, overcrowded areas can be incredibly difficult and challenging

Just seem to be high
Despite these challenges, we remain optimistic and hopeful

We still like T.I.
We still enjoy popular culture and entertainment, despite our circumstances

We still look fly
We take pride in our sense of style and appearance, even in difficult circumstances

Dancin' as we shootin' up
We find joy and release through artistic expression, even in the midst of violence and struggle

And lootin' just to get by
Sometimes, we have to do whatever it takes to survive and make ends meet

With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
You feel off balance, unsure of your place in the world

Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Try to change your perspective and see things differently

Your head'll collapse if there's nothing in it
If you don't have substance or depth, you'll struggle to make sense of the world

And you'll ask yourself
You'll start to question your own beliefs and values

"Where is my mind?"
You'll wonder where your own thoughts and feelings fit into the larger picture

Who made me like this?
I question whether my identity and values were shaped by outside forces or by my own choices

Was it me and God in co-production?
I wonder how much influence my religion has had on shaping who I am

My devil's on speed dial
I acknowledge the darkness within myself and the temptations I face

Every time I take the wrong direction
I'm aware that my mistakes and missteps are my own doing

All I want is one thing, and that is what you got
I admire the success and material possessions of others, and I want the same for myself

Sometimes I go lose my mind and then I feel numb
I struggle with my own mental health and self-destructive behavior

There's twenty four hours in a day
We all have the same amount of time in a day, regardless of our circumstances

I used to split it eight-eight-eight
I used to try to divide my time equally between work, sleep, and play

Eight work
I used to dedicate eight hours of my day to work

Eight sleep
I used to dedicate eight hours of my day to sleep

Eight for play
I used to dedicate eight hours of my day to leisure time

Now I give it all it takes
I'm now fully committed to pursuing my passions and achieving my goals

People on the Internet
I'm aware of the power and influence of the internet and social media on our lives

A new life for the intellect
The internet has opened up new opportunities for learning and intellectual growth

People judge me so hard
I face a lot of criticism and scrutiny from others, especially for my unconventional views and lifestyle

'Cause I don't floss my titty set (?!)
Because I don't flaunt my wealth and material possessions in the same way as others

I was born out of dirt like I'm porn in a skirt
I come from humble beginnings and have had to work hard to get where I am

I was a little girl who made good with all that blurt
I've accomplished a lot despite facing many obstacles and doubters

I put people on a map that never seen a map
I've given voices to marginalized and overlooked communities and have helped shed light on important issues

I show 'em somethin' that they've never seen
I expose people to new ideas and perspectives that challenge their understanding of the world

And hope they make it back
I hope that my efforts inspire others to take meaningful action and make a positive impact on the world