iLOVEFRiDAY’s “Mia Khalifa” – A Viral Sensation with Mixed Reviews

“Mia Khalifa”, a song by American hip hop group iLOVEFRiDAY, has been making waves on the internet since its release. The song, originally titled “Mia Khalifa (Diss)”, also known as “Hit or Miss”, was self-released by the duo of Atlanta-based rappers Aqsa Malik (also known as Smoke Hijabi) and Xeno Carr on February 12, 2018. It was later re-released by Records Co and Columbia Records on December 14, 2018.

The Backstory

The song is a diss track targeting Mia Khalifa, a Lebanese-American Internet celebrity and former pornographic actress. The decision to write a song dissing Khalifa arose over a misunderstanding. A faked screenshot, intended as a joke, seemed to show Khalifa criticizing Malik for smoking while wearing a hijab in a music video¹. iLoveFriday and their fans took the apparent hypocrisy seriously.

The Reception

Critics have praised the song for its unconventional catchiness, but it has also been criticized as off-key and misogynistic. A panel of Vice reviewers have openly condemned the inspiration of the song and its lyrics by quoting it “really off-key and shitty sounding” and “upsettingly misogynistic in a really specific and sick way”.

The Viral Success

Months after its release, “Mia Khalifa” achieved unexpected viral success on social media, especially among TikTok users. The best-known portion is Malik’s verse, which opens with a line that became an Internet meme: “Hit or miss, I guess they never miss, huh?”.

Despite the mixed reviews, there’s no denying that “Mia Khalifa” has made a significant impact on social media platforms. Whether you love it or hate it, iLOVEFRiDAY’s “Mia Khalifa” is here to stay.