A Little Deeper

It's hard to get a grasp on an album that you've never heard by an artist you don't know. Listening to A Little Deeper by Ms. Dynamite in 2023 you're not hearing too much originality or something that merits inclusion on a list of 'Albums you must hear'. When a record that barely had any traction when it was released and who's global stats only show a bump in the UK compared to a flat reception outside, you get a good look at the biases the author(s) of this book have for subpar UK performers regurgitating more popular artists who's only crime appear to not be based in the UK. 3/5.

In 2003 it probably made perfect sense to include Ms. Dynamite on a list like this - she was massive for about a year. Now, not so much. I enjoy the sassy, streetwise bops (Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, It Takes More, a few others) plenty. But unfortunately these are outnumbered by neo-soul snoozers and slightly insipid R&B tracks - the type of music I've always struggled to like, basically. 2.5 stars

Quality debut album by a clear talent. A little different take with a female rapper with a different sensibility and sound. Multiple tracks with quality grooves and beats, combined with clever arrangements that include instrumental fills with more traditional pop piano and guitar sounds.

I was surprised at how much I liked this. I was preparing for a reasonably generic early 2000s RnB and/or hip hop album (and there are, admittedly, a few tracks like that on the back half of the album). But it was more meldoic and catchy than I was expecting. A review I read described Ms Dynamite as a cross between Lauryn Hill and Nelly Furtado, and well hey, I'm down with that. I liked her voice (which is indeed reminiscent of Lauryn Hill and Nelly Furtado), with a pleasant reggae-tinged inflection, from her UK background, I'm assuming. There were a bunch of songs on the front half of the album that I found compelling and memorable (Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, Put Him Out, It Takes More, Sick'n'tired, Afraid to Fly). The production, mostly by Salaam Remi, is funky and warm, with great deployment of samples and acoustic instruments. It made sense when I read that he had worked on The Score by the Fugees and Amy Winehouse's Back in Black. This was a really pleasant surprise, and album I would totally listen to again. I reckon if this was trimmed to a punchy 45 minutes, it would be 4 stars, but there is a little bit of filler on the back end of the record. So, 3.5 stars, rounding up.

Not sure why this has so much hate on this site. It’s standard R&B and probably shouldn’t be on the list but it has a pretty pleasant sound. 6/10

I guarantee this is some English rapper no one has heard of outside the UK, and that it's unironically shallow as fuck. There's a song called "afraid 2 fly" ahahaha oh fuck off you hack. Update: was exactly as expected. Zero depth, lyrics hilariously cheap. Only actual content on its wiki entry is "included in this shitty book". Not quite as bad as MIA, but still a whopping 1/5.

Couldn't decide if this gave me Missy vibes or someone else but damn the flow was *on point*!

Super awesome, funky, what a banger… she’s like the funk version of Etta James 9/10

Phenomenal. Quality production, sharp lyricism, multiple genres - fantastic debut that clearly draws a lot of inspiration from Lauryn Hill, while remaining true to her British and Caribbean roots.

But not too deep. Ms. Dynamite raps consistently over a variety of textures, and the album has the topographic variation of a good painting. That is, moving micro-shadows are thrown on the thinnest areas, vulnerable to the scrape of lyrical mining. While small for the length, I maintain my reaction to "message" albums.

UK Hip Hop always stood in the shadow of its US origins and it mostly does not get close to it. Of course there are exceptions like Little Simz who is one of the best modern Rap artists. Ms. Dynamite in the eyes of some does recieve a similar credit especially with this album that blends Neo-Soul, R&B & Hip Hop into a diverse and interesting album although it is really inconsistent and sometimes all over the place with the ideas and influences. It starts with the short but actually really good 'Natural High (Interlude)' that works as a intro and I really like the low-paced, mainly Synth & Bass background beat that makes you interested with what else the album is going to feature. 'Dy-Na-Mi-Tee' seems to be loved by many but I just think it's annoying. The "e-hee" part in the chorus makes my ears bleed. Just let MJ do a "Hee-Hee" part because this just destroys a theoretically solid song with that god awful chorus. It is even more embarrassing considering this is HER song with it pretty much being an introduction into her persona. Much better is 'Anyway U Want It' that features a typical 90's R&B chorus by a featured singer and a Hip Hop Soul beat. It's pretty solid but nothing crazily interesting. The arguably one of the best songs on here is 'Put Him Out'. It's a fast and slightly angry song that has a great rhythm and a pretty diverse beat. It isn't a perfect song but gets close with a couple of parts including the Jazz piano that starts shortly before the chorus. The more sentimental 'Brother' features a nice melody and great vocal harmonies. It is a nice blend between R&B beat, Soul singing and a few Rap bars. Ulimately a decent song that doesn't really get the edge it should maybe have. The sample heavy 'It Takes More' follows with another great song and definitely a top-tier song compared to most the album offers. It's a more hard-hitting beat that strangely works really well with the more laid-back and singing provided rapping. The greatness of before is a bit lost with 'Sick 'n' Tired' that just isn't as interesting as a lot of that we already heard. It's mainly boring especially with the lackluster performance and the bars that just don't really have a lot of lyrical or emotional depth to it. Just a very "meh" song; It's "ok". 'Afraid 2 Fly' has a really interesting beat that isn't really your average track because it features a lot of different samples that range from bells over water or rain to some really weird synths. That beat gives a great base to work on but she sadly didn't do that. The performance is way to basic for such a crazy beat. It feels contradictory and that in a bad way. The albums second half starts with 'Watch Over Them' a short and acapella intro to that half that only features her rapping without a beat. She's just not good enough of an MC for that to work but nice try. 'Seed Will Grow' has some influence from Reggae, mainly with the featured vocals that are pretty much just Reggae but the beat also takes a couple of elements but in the end stay true to the Hip Hop Soul sound. It's alright but isn't really interesting outside of being pretty nice background music. The more electronic based 'Krazy Krush' makes a slightly glitchy appearence but it does not really get to a point in which I like the sound that is created as the duality of beat and vocals don't fit. Like with many tracks: great idea and concept but she just isn't the right person to perform that. She would be a better artist as an album/song conceptualist for other artists than performing herself. 'Now U Want My Love' is another average R&B song that might have worked back in 2002 or as background music but in an active listen it's pretty boring. The song 'Too Experienced' isn't available on streaming but was a part of the original album. I am not interested enough to check it out but I want to mention it for the albums wholeness. 'Gotta Let U Know' is another song that I am going to same thing about I said already a couple of times: average R&B song that didn't age well and is really uninteresting but still ok for the most. An let's do it again for 'All I Ever' which is a, can you guess?, pretty average R&B song that has a couple of neat ideas but in the end comes of as, ..., just ok and mostly boring. The albums title track and final song 'Little Deeper' had a little secret on the original CD. Because it if you did not stop the album after finishing it and just waited a hidden track called 'Get Up Stand Up' would play. And while that might have worked as a cool easter egg on CDs, it does not work with streaming and it's therefore really stupid to add just 4 minutes of silence in between the two songs... Anyway, the actual song is really boring but the hidden song is actually really good and I am surprised it isn't on the actual track list. It has a solid beat and great featured rapping. This is what the whole album should've been like. This is great!!! One of the best moments on the album and it isn't even an "offical" song. WHY??? WHY??? favourites: It Takes More, Get Up Stand Up, Put Him Out, Anyway U Want It least favourites: Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, Krazy Krush, Watch Over Them, Afraid 2 Fly, Gotta Let U Know, Little Deeper Rating decent to strong 5 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Started off good, but then ran out of steam. Sort of generic and not worth a spot on this list 2

I found this to be kind of pedestrian and of its time, but it wasn’t a bad record.

Not as good as Little Miss Dynamite, a 70 year old woman who tweaks around the pubs of the Isle of Man every weekend.

Ms Dynamite flashed so brightly and then disappeared without a trace. Well meaning, socially conscious, sometimes engaging but the album not consistent enough and for every track with inspiring lyrical content such as It Takes More there’s a routine track like Anyway U Want It.

An album that seemed to be incredibly well-received on release, but has not been remembered over time. Ms. Dynamite seemed to be championed as the next big artist for hip hop and neo-soul, riding in on the backs of Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, and Erykah Badu. Instead, it seems like her work pales in comparison to her contemporaries, and barely impacts like recent artists SZA, Noname, or Lianne La Havas. I can't hate too much but it's encompassing the 2000s bass-heavy style of hip hop production that feels dated. It's especially true when it feels like Ms. Dynamite is pulling punches. More than anything, this kind of production deserves bombastic, in-your-face delivery that sticks with you. When it's go big or go home, Ms. Dynamite does not go big.

Weinig speciaal.

Die Einbeziehung dieses und ähnlicher, bestenfalls generischer Machwerke in diese Liste macht mich physisch aggressiv. „Das hat man ja so noch NIE von einer Frau gerappt gehört.“ /s

Wow, no words

Wonderful

I'd never heard of her and this isn't a genre I gravitate to but it held my attention and made me want to listen again.

Lifted my mood. so fun, great , great , great and a surprise. voice, style, grooves and a perfect antidote to the grim R&B out there... and some nice blood diamond references to keep it real.

Great album

I was immediately drawn into this album with the unique voice and composition. And from there I just kept vibing. I love her voice, I loved the featured artists, the range. What a great find! 5/5

What a banger

Classy, catchy, tasty. This is everything I wish hip hop was today. A positive message that isn’t about money, drugs, and sex. Throughly enjoyed this album. 9/10

Estou apaixonado pela voz dela

Instant 5 a real sleeper hit. The funny thing was when this came out I knew her as a presenter on a stupid "street" late night garage show on channel 4. Then this album came out and it was so far ahead of the childish bands she was presenting on. Later found out that she's celebrated poet Akala's sister and it shows as the deepness and reality is so far above the usual stuff which is put out. Loved this album for 20 years.

This album didn't rock my world but I enjoyed it enough to listen to it again back to back.

Beautiful voice, beautiful attitude. Did tail off in the second half, but it gets a nostalgia star.

Great album!

Solid album. Good vocals. If you put Ms. Dynamite on and can't get any action it's not Ms. Dynamite's fault.

Wait, what??? This is a fantastic album!!! How haven't I heard of it! Son nice to have found it here! Too bad I can't listen to most songs on Spotify... but for that there's always YouTube!

album full of bangers, that left me wanting more

This was fanTASTIC!!! The only downside of this album is that I love the song Booo!!! so much that I wish this album was her vocals over garage beats :( the instrumentation is still awesome though and this just drips in all of the things that were good and great about early 2000s RnB, all while leaning into the benefits of the english accent in a way that only benefits the sound

This was fan fucking tastic

I rather enjoyed this one. I was not familiar with this artist, but happy to know a little something now.

Another new to me artist, love the album and will re-listen.

good hip-hop album! Curse words in the lyrics.

Wasn’t my genre growing up but this is peak teenage years for me, so maybe the familiarity of it feels comforting but I actually enjoyed this a lot! It was much better that the singles released from it would have you believe.

A good album, I really enjoyed it. I liked Natural High, Brother and It Takes More.

This was rather enjoyable

This album gives me such a wash of nostalgia to my childhood. I've never heard it before, but this is exactly what kid-me would be bopping to in my room. Beautiful vocals, and the instrumentals are just perfect. 4/5

Ms Dynamite is underrated. I'm not planning on listening to this album again any time soon, but if I do, it won't be a problem.

Dinamitee had interesting beats and flowed quite nicely. I also like Put Him Out and It Takes More which have which have a dancehall flavour. The album settles down into a lot of soul oriented sounds which were far less interesting. So I really liked some of it and found some of it boring. Hmmm. I’m in a good mood so will round up.

Awesome album that shows not every one of the UK artist/albums on this list is boring or stale. Some...are Dynamite. Also would be curious what made the powers that be add this one to the list. The little entry doesn't really show that it was popular beyond winning a prize. I'm happy it's on here but would be interested in some backstory. Maybe she paved the way for rappers like Lil Simz. Either way, this made up for the last week and a half.

How did I miss this album in highschool? It's got layers of R and B, hip hop, and reggae all with that powerful voice spitting out meaningful lyrics the whole way. It's like all the sizzle of the popular artists of the time but with a big meaty steak to bite into underneath the surface.

Liked it!

Okay I actually really liked this. She's no Lauryn Hill and I don't know how she earned a spot in this book but I really liked her vibe.

This is cool. Put Him Out really hit it out of the park for me. The guitar licks are just so tasty. It Takes More has some GRIT! The back half I wasn't as keen on.

Great album. Really enjoyed a few of the tracks

Very pleasant discovery. I am not normally into Rap but I like her voice and lyrics. Music melodic too. A few songs especially seed will grow, a little deeper, it takes more

I've never heard her before but I really enjoyed this album. She reminds me a little of Lauryn Hill a bit in some spots, but overall her lyrics and themes are all her own. A little more serious topics than you usually find but it works here. Anyway U Want It is probably my favorite track off this one.

I enjoyed this

annoyingly quite good

I enjoyed this more than I expected. It’s not terribly transformative, but the beats work and the context of the music is solid.

Strong and smooth, hip-hop inflected R&B , with a couple way winning cuts – "Sick and Tired" and "Seed to Grow" chief among them. Whole lotta Lauryn vibes, entirely in a good way.

8/10 pretty great rap album! lots to love

This gave off some Santigold vibes the first song or so in. I enjoyed the personal and political commentary on overcoming personal circumstances while simultaneously tackling oppression.

So much talent

3 amazing singles on here but the rest of the album can’t maintain that high standard.

Really cool and solid but feels a little stylistically late

BL: Never heard of Ms. Dynamite, but seeing she's a UK female rapper from the early 2000s I'm expecting something akin to the works of Shystie, and if it is so, I'm sure I'll enjoy it a lot. AL: I liked this more than I already expected, which was good as my expectations were already high. While I thought the second half of this album was not as impactful as the first, the use of socially conscious lyrics, juxtaposed with the daily life of a girl growing up in this environment is incredibly powerful, and offers a great alternative perspective (especially for the time), when it was an incredibly misogynistic and male dominated industry. The second half did not deliver the same highs as the first half but kept pretty consistent the whole way through. The production was also exceptional throughout the entire record, the beats were the perfect mix of instrumentation and technology. Would recommend this album just for the production FT: "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee", "Put Him Out", "It Takes More (Bloodshy Main Mix)", "A Lil Deeper / Get Up Stand Up" 4/5

This album feels like the hip hop version of some 90s R&B. I like it a lot. Krazy Krush is great. Almost a 5.

Ms Dynamite emerged from the UK Garage scene, but she didn’t have the same global success as Craig David. It’s a decent British R&B album. I really liked it.

Ah. Haha. My reaction upon seeing this cover of a 2002 "Ms. Dynamite"(?) was along the lines of What the shit? but I actually know this! And it seems like I know the whole album?, godknows how - this is not my music!? (I'm baffled, seriously). But you know what? It's neat. It has little business being in a list of AYMHBYD but it does the thing it's doing perfectly well and is a good slice of that music of its time. I'm in a pop mood today: 4 stars, Pfff!!

I remember loving the main singles from this at the time, and happily, I still do. The rest of the album is a showcase for the breadth of Ms Dynamites talents, from R and B crooning to toasting to full bore MC she is great across the board. Perhaps a little over full, 12 rather than 15 tracks and this would be a perfect album.

I liked this quite a bit. It had some fun R&B and some interesting arrangements.

Beautiful voice

Dy-na-mi-tee was my long boarding JAM back in the day. I’ve never heard the rest of the album so it was a treat. She’s got a Lauryn Hill delivery at times and I really enjoyed the reggae influences. Solid album I wish she had done more than just 2.

Surprised at the style diversity and how much I enjoyed this album

Not bad!

Modern soul. I like the vibe. I enjoyed the pop numbers, too. It's quite cheesy overall, but I like it. I wonder why she stopped releasing music.

Really fucking good. 4 stars.

Good beats, not really my type of music but I still found it catchy

slow bumpin' ragga hop. the instrumentals are pretty great and niomi's flow is marvelous, but there's a lot of emotional subject matter that makes these songs feel like they're dragging you down a bit. not at all downplaying the probably meaningful material, it's just i'm a positive guy and i like hearing positive stuff, you know?

Nice beats, good rhymes.

Not what I expected. I really enjoyed this one

It's rather good - you could even say it paved the way for some similar artists but it's 10 minutes too long.

Loved this at the time and still has sone right gems in there.

Solid stuff, first few tracks are great. I heard a ukelele band cover of the ms dynamite track before, this was my first time listening to the real track..

I thought I was decently well-versed in the world of 90s hip hop, but, I'll admit, I'd never HEARD of Ms. Dynamite at all and .... this is really really good?

C'était vraiment du bon hip-hop, les choix de productions étaient vraiment intéressants et rafraichissant, surtout pour l'époque. C'est un peu surprenant que ça n'a pas plus passé l'épreuve du temps. Ma principale critique est que je trouve que ça ressemblait vraiment beaucoup à Miss Lauryn Hill (comme plusieurs personnes ici on dirait). À réécouter. 7.5/10

R&B, british soul. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

Not someone I have ever heard referenced before, but I quite liked the sound. The lyrics were fine and the message is good, even if it is handled un-subtly. Favorite track would probably be "Seed Will Grow."

Good call!

I really like how she uses so much of the album to talk about what's going on in her life. Some songs are catchier than others, I ended up adding a couple of them to my main playlist, which means it's a 4!

Decent.

J'ai bien aimé, merci Robert. J'espère qu'on pourra rester en bons termes après la fin du générateur.

Festivale des dévergondées aujourd'hui, et on en redemande.

I liked this album, the last few (except the last) songs were not as good as the first few, but overall its a good vibe and she has a good voice. i liked "natural high" and "dy-na-mi-tee" and "put him out" the most

I think of all the 90s/00s female hip hop I’ve gotten this and Lauryn hill stand as the only two that really grabbed me. This was like a mix of missy elliott and Amy winehouse with a dash of destiny’s child and it made for quite a few banging tracks with a lot of great lyrics. The second half isn’t as great except for the last song but dynamitee and any way u want it were the standouts of the first half

Pretty good! A few songs here I knew, and a few more I discovered and enjoyed. Some of the songs were a bit forgettable, and generally this album feels dated - it could only be early 00s. I like the beats and flows of a lot of these tracks though, it's definitely one of the better 00s R&B albums I've heard. Couldn't help but vibe to this. Favourite: Dy-Na-Mi-Tee

Way better than I expected our third British hip hop album to be. I liked the blend of R&B included here and it reminded me of Alicia Keys/Jazmine Sullivan in that sense. This album was far too long in my opinion though and I was really ready for it to end.

R&B, british soul. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

When I seen the title, my eyes rolled, I said, "no".... Ok, I should have given it a chance. When It started I though, "hey, this isn't half bad." By the third time through the album I was liking it. Still not my go-to genre, but it was very good. Standouts: Dy-na-mi-tee, Put Him Out, It Takes More, Brother,

Very solidly enjoyable album. Went in only knowing her self titled track which was still the highlight but enjoyed the rest and would listen again.

The lyrics strike a balance between self-assertiveness and a positive message promoting community. The sound is also good, I think.

Wonderfully evocative of a 90s London I never experienced, and a 00s uk I did - plus features both a song about and a guest vocal from Akala - one of my favourite artists. And she's 1/2 scottish!

"A Little Deeper" is the debut studio album by English singer and rapper Ms. Dynamite (Niomi Arleen McLean-Daley). Reggae, R&B and British soul are the musical genres. Multiple producers employed including Bloodshy & Avant, Keon Bryce, "Lose J" Dyer, Punch and Salaam "The Chameleon" Remi. This album won the 2002 UK Mercury Prize and commercially hit #10 in the UK. Weird noises and a deep bass open the album in "Natural High (Interlude)." Ms. Dynamite rapping an anti-drug message and music is what gets her high. Bells and a slow hip hop beat start "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee." R&B and a soulful vibe. It's about her growing up and she's going to blow-up up your stereo. A Santana-esque guitar begins "Put Him Out." Catchy hip hop beats, female backing vocals and weird synth sounds. Dynamite telling her girlfriend to push out her boyfriend who doesn't treat her right. Ominous keys and a melody taken from the 1934 Italian song "Chitarra Romana" drive "It Takes More." She continues the badgering men theme as she's telling off a braggert and bullying man. A song with a great synth melody is "Afraid 2 Fly." Harp sounds. Uplifting as she's not afraid to fly. Ky-Mani Marley joins Dynamite in the duet of sorts "Seed Will Grow." A deep bass, sparse synth keys and slow beats. Horns added. The girl is trapped in poverty and a drug-addled world. The albums closes with "Get Up Stand Up." A hip hop-R&B-reggae fusion? I couldn't tell if this was a cover of the Sly song or not; it's quite a bit different. Ending in a positive way that you need to get up, stand up and make a change. This album was pretty chill. Hip hop beats and soulful/R&B melodies. Dynamite raps and sings in a very soulful way. She reminded me a lot of Lauryn Hill. There's an overarching theme that's she's going to succeed no matter what obstacles are in front of her (men, family, drug culture). Nice production. This is a very decent album. It's a little long at 61 minutes (CD era); the album could have been trimmed a bit but most people will find something to like here.