M.I.A. won't go down quietly, as she fights tooth and nail against the NFL as the corporation continues to seek compensation from the acclaimed rapper/singer for giving the camera the middle finger and mouthing "I don't give a f*ck" during the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show. The rapper claims she is being used as a scapegoat in the $1.5 million case and says that there were other things happening in the show that were just as, if not more provocative and offensive.

MIA
Maya claims that she is being used as a scapegoat

The 'Paper Planes' rapper took to YouTube to discuss the "completely ridiculous" claim for damages by the American football league, and claimed that during the show there were several cheerleaders on stage who were arguably being much more offensive and provocative. The English-Sri Lankan musician is being sued for $1.5 million for breach of contract, with the league complaining that her gesture had put in jeopardy the family-friendly marketability of the NFL brand, something that M.I.A. claims they needed no help with as her middle finger gesture doesn't come close to some of the scandals that emerge from the league.

Referring to a chorus line of barely dressed "young black female" cheerleaders, M.I.A. digressed, "Madonna got them from a local high school in Indianapolis. They were under 16. If you look at them they're wearing cheerleader outfits, hips thrusting in the air, legs wide open … in a very sexually provocative position. Now they're scapegoating me into figuring out what is the goal post of what's offensive in America."

The rapper/singer continued, questioning what it was about her finger that was so offensive, and why it was more offensive to a family audience than a group of underage girls dancing in a sexually provocative manner. She continued, "Like, is my finger offensive? Or is an underage black girl with her legs wide open more offensive to the family audience?"

Maya
There were more offensive actions taking place behind her, if you find underaged sexual provokation offensive

Following the 2012 incident, the FCC decided not to pursue further action against M.I.A., born Mathangi Maya Arulpragasam, however the league decided that further action was necessary. The NFL apparently took up a zero-tolerancy policy towards any untoward behaviour following the 2004 Janet Jackson nipple stunt, and are responding to the gesture in accordance to their own stance against any kind of "punk rock" moment.

"It's a massive waste of time, a massive waste of money," M.I.A said. "It's a massive display of powerful corporation d*ck shaking. They want me on my knees, to say sorry so they can slap me on my wrist, and basically say it's okay for me to promote being sexually exploited as a female, but then to display female empowerment through being punk rock."