Super Bowl XLVI: Controversy Alert! M.I.A. Gives the Finger During Madonna Performance

Rapper flips the bird during Madge's new song "Give Me All Your Luvin'"

Madonna may have been the headliner, but she's not the one making headlines after her performance during the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show.

Rapper M.I.A., who appears on the Queen of Pop's new single "Give Me All Your Luvin'" along with Nicki Minaj, shocked viewers when she gave the finger to the crowd during her segment.

We're not sure which could be more problematic: Offering the gesture in front of millions of viewers, or the fact that she may have upstaged Madonna...

So what was behind M.I.A. flipping the bird?

We're not exactly sure, but it seems that NBC cameras tried to cut away quickly from the middle finger indiscretion from the rapper, even obscuring the whole show for a brief moment.

NBC Sports released the following statement: "We apologize for the inappropriate gesture that aired during halftime. It was a spontaneous gesture that our delay system caught late." (NBC and E! are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

NFL was also quick to respond, saying in a statement "There was a failure in NBC's delay system. The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing, and we apologize to our fans."

While it's no wardrobe malfunction, the NFL has been careful to avoid controversy during its Super Bowl halftime performances since Janet Jackson's infamous 2004 performance.

Watch the video below and tell us what you think.