Time Machine Tuesdays - Ms. Dynamite

This week in our first instalment of Time Machine Tuesdays we are taking it back to the noughties, when R&B and Soul really came into it’s own. This genre reigned supreme thanks to artists like Alicia keys, Justin Timberlake and Ginuwine, who not only became icons for their music but also their unapologetically noughties style. This week however, we’re focusing on London-born singer/songwriter and rapper Niomi Arleen Daley, or Ms Dynamite to me and you, whose short but sweet music career produced timeless hits that we will never stop playing.

Formerly Lady Dynamite, Ms Dynamite’s first ever track ‘Booo!’ was an underground garage hit, which was first played on London pirate radio stations before it was actually officially released as a single. It was this track that got her noticed by producers who assisted her in releasing her debut album, A Little Deeper, in 2002.

Ms Dynamite performing in London.

Her debut album went on to win the Mercury Prize for Album of the Year, and it’s no surprise as to why. To this day, the tracks from that album are payed homage to in the UK garage and urban R&B scene. ‘Dy-Na-Mi-Tee’ was a song with a very clear message: she had worked her way up to the limelight, and wanted everyone to know that fresh new talent had arrived.

It was her journey to success that captivated so many of us, and coincidentally became the topic of her music. Being a sibling to 12 others, Ms Dynamite did not have the most privileged upbringing, however managed to stay humble once she was propelled into the spotlight. On the track ‘It Takes More’, she sings about how the material things that other R&B rappers and musicians were writing about, often came at the cost of others.

This grounded and morally-conscious approach to the music industry at the time was a hit with fans, and Ms. Dynamite’s musical identity was well and truly established and adored. Her combination of rap and heartfelt soul singing on her debut album gave her an edge that proved popular with critics. ‘It Takes More’ won best single at the 2002 MOBO Awards, and Niomi went on to take home two more awards from that night, UK Act of the Year, and Best Newcomer.

Her second album Judgement Days came three years later, and featured more of the social commentary that we had seen previously. Her focus this time seemed more refined, and many of the tracks featured direct criticisms of modern day society, in particular at the UK government on the song ‘Mr.President’.

Ms Dynamite

Although just as heartfelt and relevant, her second album did not receive the level of critical acclaim that her first one did, and Ms. Dynamite decided to take another break from the music industry.

She surprised us all when she popped up on Katy B’s 2010 single ‘Lights On’, reminding us that she’s still an icon in the garage scene and is not to be forgotten about. But she unfortunately dropped off the radar shortly after, focussing her attention on being a mum and making the odd TV and Radio appearance.

Despite having a short – lived music career, Ms. Dynamite managed to make a huge impression on the music industry and is still inspiring artists today. The musician was recently honoured with an MBE for her services to music, and described her acceptance of the award as honouring her elders who arrived in England on the Windrush. In an interview with The Guardian last year, she explained that although the award contradicted her earlier views of the empire and colonisation, she felt she owed a lot of her success to her Grandmother, which is who she has dedicated the MBE to.

Ms Dynamite

Ms. Dynamite's flair and fearlessness to speak her mind delivered some of the most relevant and moral conscious music of the noughties, and it's just one of the many reasons why we love her.