M.I.A.'s Protégée Debuts with a 'Bang'

M.I.A.’s 18-year-old protégée Rye Rye made her Hollywood debut at Cinespace on Tuesday. The petite Baltimore rapper performed several songs, one of which was her M.I.A.-assisted single “Bang.”

The ’87 Stick Up Kids opened, followed by a brief set from DJ Blaqstarr, but despite whisperings that M.I.A. would make a surprise appearance, the Sri Lankan mama was M.I.A. Insiders tell staging-rapup.kinsta.cloud that she was there, but felt too sick to perform.

Rye Rye will release her debut album Go! Pop! Bang! on M.I.A.’s N.E.E.T. imprint with Interscope Records.

Words and photos by Jessica Washington