Global Hip-hop

I have never listened to much hip-hop outside of the U.S. (or inside the U.S. for that matter), but my favorite non-American hip-hop artist has always been M.I.A. The first time I heard her was when my sister went to Coachella four or five years ago and brought back an M.I.A. cd. I was never a very musically-inclined person, but it was one of the few cd's I listened to on a regular basis, and was one of only two hip-hop cd's I really enjoyed. I liked to message that M.I.A. brought out in her music, even though she would become fairly controversial once she gained popularity after her music was used in an ad for the movie Pineapple Express. Her music was also probably the first time I really appreciated the beats in a song rather than just the instruments, or the artist's voice. Although I don't think her latest cd was as good as her first two, I can't see myself liking any other international hip-hop artist as much as I like M.I.A.