M.I.A. Posts Journalist's Phone Number on Twitter Out of Spite

While M.I.A. is a unique talent in the music industry, she's not the first artist to start a feud with the press, nor will she be the last. And just as she does with her music and fashion, M.I.A. took her response to a somewhat unflattering New York Times Magazine profile to another level by posting the journalist's phone number on her Twitter account. This marks the second time the Sri Lankan singer/rapper has taken on the news institution in 140-character outbursts.

In the lengthy article, which was published Tuesday, writer Lynn Hirschberg examined some of the hypocrisies in M.I.A.'s personality and political viewpoints, her tendency to court controversy and her strained relationships with producer Diplo and her father. After several news outlets picked up on the most damning parts, M.I.A. posted Hirschberg's personal phone number on Twitter Thursday morning with the message "CALL ME IF YOU WANNA TALK TO ME ABOUT THE N Y T TRUTH ISSUE, ill b taking calls all day bitches ;)."

Naturally, plenty of people called, filling up Hirschberg's voicemail, yet the journalist seemed undaunted by the reaction. "It's a fairly unethical thing to do, but I don't think it's surprising," Hirschberg told the New York Observer, noting she wouldn't change her phone number. "The messages have mostly been from people trying to hook up with M.I.A. If she wants to get together with John at Bard next week, I have his number," she added.

Even with Hirschberg declining to engage M.I.A. in a war of words, the outspoken pop star apparently isn't letting the matter die. "NEWS IS AN OPINION! UNEDITED VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW WILL BE ON neetrecordings THIS MEMORIAL WEEKEND!!!," she tweeted a couple hours later. Perhaps M.I.A. took a page out of Richard Nixon's book and recorded the interview for her own records? We're not sure, and neither is Hirschberg, who said, "I have no idea what she's talking about."

M.I.A.'s new album, 'Maya,' is due out in June. Check back here to see if this situation escalates.