This new track, ‘XXXO,’ off M.I.A.’s highly anticipated new album set to drop on July 6th was debuted by Annie Mac in the UK this week and has since leaked all over the internet. Blaqstarr and dubstep phenom Rusko teamed up on the production. Rusko mixed most of the new album and also helped fellow label mate Switch produce a good chunk of it. Far removed from ‘Born Free,’ for which a gripping video was released in late April, this song is polished pop music and will likely have the 13 year old girls going nuts. This track is just another testament to Mya’s incredible diversity and although personally it’s not my cup of tea, I am definitely excited to see what else this album holds. Word on the street is that the video will be directed by the don Hype Williams, whose signature glossy style will likely produce a polar opposite result than the raw handheld realism of the youtube banned ‘Born Free.’

While we’re on the topic of Rusko production…He was recently approached by Britney Spears and will be featured prominently on her new album. Rusko is on fire right now, having worked with T.I., Rihanna, Miike Snow, and M.I.A. to name a few, and the likes of Gucci Mane on his new album ‘OMG.’ In April he made dubstep history when his ‘Cali Anthem’ saw airplay on L.A.’s hip hop station, Power 106, marking the first time dubstep has gotten spins on mainstream radio in North America. Currently, Rusko is living the dream in Silver Lake (Southern California) with the rest of the Mad Decent crew. “How could I not want to live in this situation?” He told the L.A. Times last week. “We all live in Silver Lake now,” he says of the Mad Decent crew. “Diplo has even moved from Philly. Paul Devro, Switch, the whole crew is on the Eastside. Maya [Arulpragasam, aka M.I.A.] even has a house over here.” For a link to the full L.A. Times article CLICK HERE.

The English producer had this to say about working on the new Britney album: “They approach me because they want me to do what I do. They don’t want me to make a cheesy pop record. I just want to be known for my beats. It’s simple. What you see is what you get. Bang! The music.”

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PS – Here’s some exclusive Saintwoods ish — M.I.A. will be in Montreal in late September/early October. It will be held at the Cepsum arena at the University of Montreal. You didn’t hear it here though