M.I.A. has been known to tech geeks for years; she jump-started her career by spreading the first singles from her debut album, Arular, online. The album wasn't out yet, but savvy web users could track the songs down with the help of blogs and file-sharing services.
The artist is known for putting heavy words to light music, but this is a far cry from songs about child soldiers and immigration politics. When you've been on the phone with tech support for several hours, you might start to see it as a sort of war, though.
M.I.A. was trying to get her broadband working when she decided mid-crisis that she should ask the support people to help her out with her music. "Ten phone calls later, I have Internet that sticks and a song," she said.
Rolling Stone reports that the song actually features Filipino Verizon tech support workers singing the hook.
The album — which was made in collaboration with producer Blaqstarr — will be released this summer. If "Down Like Your Internet Connection" is the first single, it will probably hit several weeks earlier. "I Fight the Ones That Fight Me" is another revealed song, but the album itself still doesn't have a name.