Vicki Leekx
| Vicki Leekx | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Mixtape by M.I.A. | ||||
| Released | 31 December 2010 | |||
| Recorded | 2010 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 36:17 | |||
| Producer | ||||
| M.I.A. chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 75/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Consequence of Sound | C- |
| Pitchfork Media | (7.8/10) |
| Popmatters |    |
| Robert Christgau | (B+) |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Slant Magazine | |
| Sputnikmusic | |
Vicki Leekx is a mixtape by British recording artist M.I.A. which was released on 31 December 2010. Following the release of her album Maya earlier in 2010, the artist announced via Twitter that she would be releasing a mixtape on the last day of the year, and subsequently made it available free to download. It incorporates reworked versions of tracks from Maya and new material and was reported as having been inspired by the 2010 controversy, although much of its content is not politically inspired.
M.I.A. released her third album Maya in July 2010 to mixed reviews. In early December, she announced on Twitter that she would be following it up with a mixtape to be released on 31 December, stating "vicky leekx [sic] mixtape coming new years eve! layin bad minds to rest 2010!" The mixtape was uploaded online from Bangkok, Thailand after she sent it via YouSendIt to a friend, stating "VICKILEEKX up/loaded in BANGKOK! thank u, for being a dope ass people/city. cant seem to leave please kick me out! or i wont go!" Exclaim! writer Josiah Hughes contended that the latter portion of the message referred to events which had occurred during the year including the album's mixed reviews and her clashes with journalists and former collaborator Diplo.
Shortly before Christmas, the website vickileekx.com began displaying a countdown to the mixtape's release in the form of animated water rising up a dateline, and on 30 December M.I.A. uploaded a TwitPic showing the track listing and credits. Zach Baron, writing for The Village Voice, contended that the singer deliberately chose to release the mixtape at the point in the year when internet traffic is traditionally at its lowest, so as "not to feed the online content machines that chewed her up this year".
The material included reworked tracks and out-takes from Maya, with previously unreleased material. Some of the tracks, including "Let Me Hump You" and "Gen-N-E-Y", had been made available by M.I.A. earlier in the year at a series of bespoke website addresses. The tracks "Meds and Feds" and "Steppin' Up" from Maya appear in radically altered forms, including the removal of the heavy guitar played by Derek E. Miller of the group Sleigh Bells on the original version of the former.
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