There are five known artists under this name:

1. Mathangi “Maya” Ar… Read Full Bio ↴There are five known artists under this name:

1. Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam also known as M.I.A., (born 18 July 1975 in Hounslow, London, U.K.) is a British artist of Sri Lankan descent. As a baby she moved with her family to their native Sri Lanka, where her father became increasingly politically active in militant activities. As the Civil War escalated the rest of the family was forced to flee as refugees, first to India and then the UK. “M.I.A.” [“Missing In Action”] references both her London neighborhood (Acton) and her politically tumultuous youth.

Her style contains elements of hip-hop, reggae, alternative, dance hall, electro and baile funk and is strongly inspired by her Sri Lankan background.

2. American Punk/Hardcore band formed in Orange County, CA in 1981 by Chris Moon, drums; Mike Conley, bass; Nick Adams, guitar (all previously of Las Vegas, NV punk band The Swell); and Art Carasco, vocals. Their sound was generally hardcore and thrasher, though they produced more melodic and progressive sounds in their later albums. Allmusic called the band "one of the 50 best So-Cal punk bands of the great early-'80s second wave explosion. In 1984 they signed a deal with the cult Alternative Tentacles label, after the label's founder, Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, saw them play at a secret illegal punk nightclub in Las Vegas. Biafra was impressed by Mike Conley's distinctive voice, saying "The minute you hear a song with him singing you know it's him." They released the album Murder in a Foreign Place on Alternative Tentacles in 1984, followed in 1985 by Notes From the Underground on National Trust Records, and in 1987 by After the Fact on Flipside Records. The band split up in 1988. In 2001, Alternative Tentacles released Lost Boys, a 37-song retrospective of the band's work, including Last Rites, Murder in a Foreign Place, and several additional tracks. On February 28, 2008 vocalist Mike Conley was found dead in a Chicago hotel parking lot. Conley was taken to Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, where he was pronounced dead at 6:25 a.m. On April 27, 2008, there was a secret warm-up show at Detroit Bar featuring Todd Sampson of Self Abuse and Samson's Army on vocals, Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys on guest vocals, Chris Moon and Larry Pearson on drums, Nick Adams on guitar, and Bob Thomson on bass. The next day, the "Beautiful Noise" benefit show took place at the Anaheim House of Blues with Jigsaw, Naked Soul, Cadillac Tramps, Social Distortion and MIA with the same lineup as the previous night, but adding Kevin Seconds of 7 Seconds on guest vocals. The proceeds of "Beautiful Noise" went to Mike Conley's family.

(3) Formed in the mid 70s, Independent Musicians Associated (MIA) was a group of musicians, technicians and drawers gathered together by Lito and Liliana Vitale’s parents. They produced their own records and concerts in an independent way. Their music is a complex symphonic rock with definite Argentinean/latin folk influence with multiple chorals and vocals beautifully contrasting with the keyboards and a great guitar sound upon a strong rhythmic section. They were highly influenced by symphonic music, more noteworthy by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Gentle Giant and Focus.

4. Merriweathers is a member of Underground Resistance under the alias of The Unknown Soldier.

5. mia's page (Michaela Grobelny).

Steppin Up
M.I.A. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Steppin' up
In this club
All tooled up like a thug
Rub-a-dub-dub
Rub-a-rub-a-dub-dub

Steppin' up
In this club

All tooled up like a thug
Rub-a-dub-dub
Rub-a-rub-a-dub-dub

Steppin' up
In this club
All tooled up like a thug
Rub-a-dub-dub
Rub-a-rub-a-dub-dub

Steppin' up
In this club
All tooled up like a thug
Rub-a-dub-dub
Rub-a-rub-a-dub-dub

I light up like a genie then I blow up on this song
(Rub-a-dub-a-dub-dub ruba-duba-dub-a-dub)
Aladdin, no kidding, boy I need a rub
(Rub-a-dub-a-dub-dub ruba-duba-dub-dub)
Me and my speakers speakin' sub sub sub
(Suba-suba-sub-sub suba-suba-suba-sub)
You know who I am, I run this fucking club
(Club-a-dub-dub-dub club-a-dub-a-club-a-lub)

Bass lines and ass
Anything fast
Humpin' on my leg
Yo, mind my fuckin' glass
Making money, yes
Hide it in the bath
Sound of a bomb blast throw it in the bag

Bass lines and cars
Anything fast
Know who I am
I run this fucking club
Speakers split the sub
Throwing fire like a mob
Flash, bang thunder demolition job?

(M.I.A.) you know who I am
(M.I.A.) you know who I am

Bass lines and ass
Anything fast
Humpin' on my leg
Yo, mind my fuckin' glass
Making money, yes
Hide it in the bath
Sound of a bomb blast throw it in the bag

I can make a sound, and the shriek will make you jump (jjjjump jjjjump jjjjjump)
I can smash your feet, and the track will make you run (run run run run run run run run)
Pulled up to tee I tie up just for fun (fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun)
Get ready for the set weights by the ton (ton ton ton ton ton ton ton)

Bass lines and ass
Anything fast
Humpin' on my leg
Yo, mind my fuckin' glass
Making money, yes
Hide it in the bath
Sound of a bomb blast throw it in the bag

M.I.A.
M.I.A.
M.I.A.
M.I.A.
You know who I am
M.I.A.
You know who I am
M.I.A.

Steppin' up
In this club
I'm tooled up like a thug
Rub-a-dub-dub
Rub-a-rub-a-dub-dub

Steppin' up
In this club
I'm tooled up like a thug
Rub-a-dub-dub
Rub-a-rub-a-dub-dub

No, no, no, no, no, no,
No, no, no, no, no, no,

No, no, no, no, no, no,
No, no, no, no, no, no

Overall Meaning

M.I.A., in her song Steppin' Up, showcases her bold and fearless personality by describing herself as being "tooled up like a thug" and taking over the club scene with her music. The song is a bold declaration of her power and status as a musician, and her lyrics are playful with a driving beat that is sure to make listeners dance.

The repeated line "Rub-a-dub-dub" in the chorus is a playful reference to the nursery rhyme "Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub," which gives it a subversive quality that is typical of M.I.A.'s music. The line "Bass lines and ass / Anything fast" highlights the importance of music and dancing in club culture, emphasizing a sense of freedom and release from the pressures of everyday life.

M.I.A. also incorporates themes of money and power, rapping "Making money, yes / Hide it in the bath / Sound of a bomb blast throw it in the bag." These lyrics depict a lifestyle of excess and potential danger, with the idea of hiding money and throwing a bomb in a bag adding a hint of criminal activity and the risk of danger.

In essence, Steppin' Up is a statement of domination, with M.I.A. asserting her role as a major player in the music scene and embracing her unique style and vision.

Line by Line Meaning

Steppin' up
I'm making my way forward and taking control.

In this club
I'm in a party atmosphere.

All tooled up like a thug
I've got all the resources I need to be the boss here and to defend myself.

Rub-a-dub-dub
This phrase has no particular meaning, but it adds to the rhythm and fun of the song.

Rub-a-rub-a-dub-dub
This phrase has no particular meaning, but it adds to the rhythm and fun of the song.

I light up like a genie then I blow up on this song
I explode into the music, representing myself as powerful and magical.

Aladdin, no kidding, boy I need a rub
I need help - in this case, a genie like Aladdin needed to polish his lamp.

Me and my speakers speakin' sub sub sub
My speakers are so powerful they create sub-bass sounds.

You know who I am, I run this fucking club
I'm in charge of this club, and everyone here knows who I am and respects my power.

Bass lines and ass
I'm enjoying the deep bass of the music and the presence of attractive people around me.

Anything fast
I love things that move quickly - sex, cars, and the like.

Humpin' on my leg
Someone is grinding on me and dancing provocatively.

Yo, mind my fuckin' glass
Be careful not to knock over my drink as you dance around me.

Making money, yes
I'm earning income and enjoying a luxurious lifestyle.

Hide it in the bath
I'm concealing my wealth or valuables in the bathroom for safety reasons.

Sound of a bomb blast throw it in the bag
I'm making so much noise and causing such a ruckus that it feels like there's been an explosion.

(M.I.A.) you know who I am
Introducing myself as M.I.A. again, emphasizing my power and name-recognition.

I can make a sound, and the shriek will make you jump (jjjjump jjjjump jjjjjump)
I have the ability to create a sound that will startle or excite you, making you jump around in response.

I can smash your feet, and the track will make you run (run run run run run run run run)
The beat of the music is so strong and inspiring that it feels like I can make you dance and run without even touching you.

Pulled up to tee I tie up just for fun (fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun)
I'm playing golf - something I can afford to do just for fun, rather than as a serious pursuit.

Get ready for the set weights by the ton (ton ton ton ton ton ton ton)
I'm preparing to lift weights that are so heavy, they measure in tons.

M.I.A.
Introducing myself as M.I.A. again, emphasizing my power and name-recognition.

You know who I am
Reiterating that I'm well-known and respected in this club.

M.I.A.
Introducing myself as M.I.A. one more time, emphasizing my power and name-recognition.

You know who I am
Reiterating that I'm well-known and respected in this club.

Steppin' up
Returning to the chorus, with the same command to take control and establish dominance.

In this club
Reemphasizing my location and the environment in which I'm commanding attention.

I'm tooled up like a thug
Returning to the idea of being powerful and able to defend myself, even in dangerous situations.

Rub-a-dub-dub
Ending the song on a cheerful, nonsensical note with this dance-inspired phrase.

Rub-a-rub-a-dub-dub
Ending the song on a cheerful, nonsensical note with this dance-inspired phrase.

No, no, no, no, no, no,
This phrase is repeated multiple times, seemingly for rhythmic effect rather than to convey meaning.

No, no, no, no, no, no
This phrase is repeated multiple times, seemingly for rhythmic effect rather than to convey meaning.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MAYA ARULPRAGASAM, CHRISTOPHER MERCER, DAVE TAYLOR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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