The Eastsider reports that a mural that rests above Sunset Junction and has been there more than a decade is being covered up by an ad for the new M.I.A album “Maya.”

Even though obviously M.I.A. wasn't the one to decide to put an advertisement over a mural of the Zapotec woman Graciela Iturbide, this somehow fits with a recent profile of M.I.A. (real name: Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam) as a phony.

In this brutal New York Times Magazine piece, she comes across as radical chic, all Third World revolutionary while living in Brentwood.

What Maya wants is nearly impossible to achieve: she wants to balance outrageous political statements with a luxe lifestyle; to be supersuccessful yet remain controversial; for style to merge with substance

Read the whole thing. You'll come away questioning how authentic M.I.A.'s radical politics really are.

M.I.A. hated it so much she tweeted the reporter's cell phone number. Always a classy move.

For balance, this review of the new album is more sympathetic (and a great read.)

Anyway, back to Silver Lake: The Eastsider wonders whether it's an illegal billboard (and how neighborhood art can be protected.) We have a call in with Planning to find out.

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