Maya Arulpragasam, better-known by her alias M.I.A., is definitely one of the world's baddest bitches. After killing off gingers in her "Born Free" video and flipping off the football-loving grandmas of America on Super Bowl Sunday, she solidified her place in world history as such.
Today, she celebrates her 37th birthday today, but she remains timely as a musical icon. This diva hit the scene in 2005 with a boom and a blast. Her original amalgam of hip-hop, grime, and world-music sounds were like nothing we'd heard before. Everyone from your mama to your little cousin got hooked, not just on "Paper Planes" but on M.I.A. herself.
The musical master will bring her heavy-hitting sounds and killer vocals back to our attention with Matangi this year. With danceable singles like "Bad Girls" and the touches of techno in "Come Walk with Me," M.I.A. is back and fiercer than ever. In honor of her birthday, we're honoring the songstress and five other Cancer goddesses, peaks and valleys and all.
5. Lindsay Lohan, b. July 2, 1986
When not getting caught by TMZ as a cocaine-snorting, booze-guzzling disaster, LiLo actually does have a buttload of talent (have you seen The Parent Trap?!). Here's a song off of her 2005 album, A Little More Personal (Raw). She sings. Did you know that? Now you do.
4. Pamela Anderson, b. July 1, 1967
This sex kitten doesn't just boink musicians in front of the camera; she's also taken some time to stretch her vocal cords on the mic. Anderson, oddly enough, joined forces with rock and pop old-timer Bryan Adams in 2005, when the dynamic duo recorded "When You're Gone" for Adams' record Anthology. Listen to the song here; there's no YouTube with Anderson, for some reason. Settle for Melanie C.
3. Missy Elliot, b. July 1, 1971
She's given us "The Rain," "Hot Boyz," and "Get Your Freak On" and taught us how to "Work It," which, if you don't know, involves getting your nails done and hair did. Missy's the bomb.com.
2. Courtney Love, b. July 9, 1964
Hole frontwoman and notoriously awesome mom (J.K.!), Courtney Love may be rolling over the hill, but the other side of this green landscape seems to be treating her well enough. She's one badass, or sort of just bad, Cancer whose real comeback we'd love to see.
1. Jennifer Lopez, b. July 24, 1969
She might be leaving Idol, but JLo isn't about to quit it. This 43-year-old luscious lady is taking her show on the road with the delicious Enrique Iglesias for the "Dance Again World Tour," which kicked off June 14 in Panama. Expect to see us screaming in the stands when they come to American Airlines Arena on August 31. Read why it's so not wrong to love on these two delightful cheesers.
M.I.A., happy birthday!
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