Rapper M.I.A. embroiled in custody drama with billionaire ex-fiancé

M.I.A. is locked in a bitter custody battle with ex-fiancé Benjamin Bronfman, and from the sound of it, neither side is likely to back down anytime soon. According to the New York Post's Page Six, the musician has been banned by a court from taking her son with Bronfman, 4-year-old Ikhyd, back to England, where the Sri Lankan Grammy nominee spent much of her youth and began her career.

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Page Six reports that Bronfman, the environmentalist son of billionaire Edgar Bronfman Jr., got a restraining order in New York to keep his ex from leaving with their little boy. "M.I.A. has been texting and calling Ben, saying she will take their son to London, even though they both live in Brooklyn and the child goes to school there," a source told the paper of the former couple, who split in February 2012.

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Consequently, the insider added, "Ben filed a motion for a temporary restraining order preventing her from taking their son to the U.K. against his wishes." (Bronfman's lawyer declined to comment.)

M.I.A. was reportedly served with the paperwork on Wednesday, March 13. Earlier that day, the British musician took to Twitter to accuse her ex of trying to "take my child away." In a series of since-deleted tweets, she slammed both Bronfman and his family.

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"BEN you can't take my son away from me...Just because you have money doesn't mean you have the right...," she wrote. "THE BRONFMANS WANT TO TAKE MY CHILD AWAY FROM ME. WHAT KIND OF S- IS THAT? THEY NEVER SEE HIM."

Later, she added: "Every child needs the MOTHER, I GREW UP WITHOUT A DAD. If [I] grew up without my mother I wouldn't be here." (M.I.A.'s father was a political activist and founding member of the Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students, a group associated with the Tamil Tigers. She had little contact with him during her childhood.)