The unexpected success of " Paper Planes " paralleling M.I.A. 's condemnations of the Sri Lankan government 's alleged atrocities against the Tamils , with whom M.I.A. shares ethnic and cultural backgrounds , generated accusations of her supporting terrorism . The song received widespread acclaim from contemporary critics , who complimented its musical direction and the subversive , unconventional subject matter . It won awards from the Canadian Independent Music Awards and the American Society of Composers , Authors and Publishers ( ASCAP ) , and earned a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year . The song has received praise in publications such as '' NME '' , '' Pitchfork '' and '' Rolling Stone '' , each naming it among either the best songs of the 2000s decade and all time
alleged atrocities
Alleged war crimes during the final stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War
Paper Planes (M.I.A. song)