M.I.A. Sues Kid Cudi for $2.8M Over Alleged Rebel Ragers Tour Firing

M.I.A. sues Kid Cudi for $2.8M after being fired from Rebel Ragers Tour

June 1, 2026 By Mandy Dalugdug

M.I.A. has filed a lawsuit against Kid Cudi , claiming he directed Live Nation to fire her from his Rebel Ragers Tour – costing her a $2.8 million performance guarantee.

The complaint, filed on Friday (May 29) in the US District Court for the Central District of California , which you can read here , brings two causes of action: inducing breach of contract and intentional interference with contractual relations.

It alleges that Kid Cudi,  whose real name is Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi,  directed Live Nation to break the contract in a bid to stimulate publicity and drive up ticket sales for the tour.

“Kid Cudi intended to cause Live Nation to breach the Agreement. Kid Cudi instructed Live Nation to breach the Agreement to generate publicity and ticket sales for the Tour,” according to the complaint.

M.I.A. , born Mathangi Arulpragasam , was booked as a special guest for 33 shows on the Live Nation -promoted tour, which launched on April 28 in Phoenix, Arizona .

> “Kid Cudi intended to cause Live Nation to breach the Agreement. Kid Cudi instructed Live Nation to breach the Agreement to generate publicity and ticket sales for the Tour.” M.I.A.’s complaint

According to the complaint, M.I.A. and her company, Neet Touring LLP , entered into an agreement with Live Nation Worldwide, Inc. that guaranteed payment of $2,805,000 .

The agreement, the lawsuit states, granted Neet Touring “sole and exclusive creative control over the production and presentation of M.I.A.’s performance.”

“So, Live Nation agreed to pay M.I.A. over $2.8 million regardless of what she said on stage,” the complaint reads. “That was the deal.”

During the tour’s first four shows, M.I.A. made a series of political statements on stage – consistent, the lawsuit argues, with her established public persona.

At the second show in Albuquerque, New Mexico , she called for a free Palestine and asked the audience to “make noise for Gaza.”

At the third show in Austin, Texas , she said: “Do you want me to say f**k ICE ? Everybody give me the middle finger then.”

At the fourth show in Dallas, Texas , on May 2, she asked the audience to chant a lyric from her track Illygirl : “Illegal, f**k your law.”

She also told the Dallas crowd: “I’ve been cancelled for many things. I never thought I’d be cancelled for being a Republican voting American. So, I’ve come to meet you all in person. This is the ‘allow me to reintroduce myself’ tour.”

After the Dallas show, Kid Cudi directed Live Nation to terminate M.I.A. from the remaining 29 shows, according to the complaint.

On May 4, Kid Cudi posted a statement on social media.

“ M.I.A. is no longer on this tour,” he wrote in an Instagram story.

“I told my management to send a notice to her team before we started tour that I didnt want anything offensive at my shows, cuz I already knew what time it was, and I was assured things were understood,” Kid Cudi wrote.

> “I told my management to send a notice to her team before we started tour that I didnt want anything offensive at my shows, cuz I already knew what time it was, and I was assured things were understood.” Kid Cudi (on instagram)

“After the last couple shows, I’ve been flooded with messages from fans that were upset by her rants,” Kid Cudi added. “This, to me, is very disappointing and I wont have someone on my tour making offensive remarks that upsets my fanbase. Thank you for understanding.”

The lawsuit, however, said: “Kid Cudi’s statement is riddled with falsehoods. Before M.I.A. agreed to join the Tour, Kid Cudi was aware of M.I.A.’s politically vocal reputation and her stances on immigration and genocide.”

> “Kid Cudi’s statement is riddled with falsehoods. Before M.I.A. agreed to join the Tour, Kid Cudi was aware of M.I.A.’s politically vocal reputation and her stances on immigration and genocide.” M.I.A.’s complaint

The complaint further alleges that the only contract governing M.I.A. ‘s performances was the agreement with Live Nation – which granted her company full creative control – and that it “may not be amended except by a signed, written instrument.”

“ Kid Cudi ‘s motivations are purely commercial,” the lawsuit states.

“He has already been forced to cancel a Tour date due to low ticket sales. He has ridiculed and attempted to ‘cancel’ M.I.A. to market the Tour and sell tickets.”

Beyond the $2.8 million guarantee, the complaint claims M.I.A. suffered further damages, including lost merchandise and VIP package sales from the remainder of the tour.

A private event offer worth over $290,000 plus travel and accommodation was withdrawn, the lawsuit states, and a merchandise pop-up deal in Los Angeles was rescinded.

Discussions with a sync company over a potential M.I.A. licensing deal were also terminated, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit adds that M.I.A. and her son have received death threats since her removal from the tour.

The complaint seeks compensatory damages in excess of $75,000 , consequential and special damages, punitive damages, prejudgment interest, and attorney fees.

M.I.A. is represented by Howard E. King and Heather L. Pickerell of King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, LLP , based in Los Angeles .

M.I.A. is a British – Sri Lankan rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, and activist whose career spans two decades.

Her catalog includes tracks such as Paper Planes , Bad Girls , Bring the Noize , and Galang , and she has been nominated for an Academy Award and two Grammy Awards .

In 2019 , she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to music.

In 2024 , M.I.A. endorsed then-presidential candidate Donald Trump – a move she referenced on stage during the Dallas show.

Live Nation , which promoted the  Rebel Ragers Tour  and was the counterparty to  M.I.A. ‘s performance agreement, is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

The complaint targets  Kid Cudi  alone, alleging he induced  Live Nation  to breach its contract with the plaintiffs.

Live Nation  has faced separate legal pressures in  2026  – in April, a federal jury  found that the company had operated as an illegal monopoly  in the ticketing market, following its  settlement with the US Department of Justice  in March.

The  Rebel Ragers Tour  is continuing without  M.I.A. , with remaining dates running through June 27 in  Chula Vista, California .

Kid Cudi , who resides in Los Angeles , has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. Music Business Worldwide

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_Originally reported by [Music Business Worldwide](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/m-i-a-sues-kid-cudi-for-2-8m-after-being-fired-from-rebel-ragers-tour/)._