British-Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A. has made striking allegations about her brief stint with Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, claiming the hip-hop mogul urged her to undergo plastic surgery shortly after signing her in 2012.
During a recent Instagram Live session, the "Paper Planes" artist revealed that cosmetic surgery was allegedly one of Jay-Z's first requests after she joined his label. "The first thing [Jay-Z] asked me to do was get plastic surgery," stated M.I.A., whose real name is Mathangi Arulpragasam.
The 49-year-old musician, who left Roc Nation in 2014, defended herself against potential criticism that her revelations stem from insecurity about her career trajectory. She pointed out that if insecurity was her motivation, she would have undergone the suggested procedures "100 times over."
M.I.A. emphasized her stance against such alterations, declaring, "I'm not going to bleach my skin, no I'm not going to get a nose job, no I'm not going to get filler." She expressed complete contentment with her natural appearance, stating she's "100% content, happy and at peace with exactly how God designed it."
While discussing industry pressures, M.I.A. also mentioned that fellow artist Azealia Banks had suggested skin bleaching would help her gain acceptance in the music world due to being "dark skinned."
The Grammy-nominated artist's tenure at Roc Nation coincided with the release of her fourth album, "Matangi." Her allegations shed light on ongoing discussions about beauty standards and pressure for physical alterations in the entertainment industry.
Representatives for Jay-Z and Roc Nation have not yet responded to these claims.