Ms. Dynamite: bored and fed up with hip-hop's bling-bling? Get ready—there's a big, bold new political voice about to turn the genre on its ear

The United Kingdom may lay claim to inventing the English language, but British and rap are two words that have never inspired much excitement when placed next to each other. That's all about to change, however, thanks to Ms. Dynamite and the recent U.S. release of her debut album, A Little Deeper (Interscope). Her incendiary stage name seems like an understatement when describing the rapid burn-rate of her success. From her very first appearance on record, a 2001 collaboration with U.K. garage producer Sticky, called "Booo!," Ms. Dynamite (born Niomi McLean-Daley 21 years ago) rocketed from the underground into the U.K. Top 20. Then, last September, A Little Deeper won the Mercury Prize (England's equivalent of the top Grammy) over hot favorite the Streets. The key to Ms. Dynamite's appeal lies in her album's title--she does go deeper than the average hip-hop MC. For one thing, she sings in addition to rapping, often dipping into her Caribbean heritage to spice the funk with warm melodic flavor.

She's also not afraid to tackle serious topics, in lieu of bling-bling boasts, drawing comparisons with Lauryn Hill as a result (longtime Fugee associate Salaam Remi, in fact, produced much of A Little Deeper). But the best thing about Ms. Dynamite is that even the most solemn subject sounds like a party through her microphone--tracks like "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee" radiate a sassy brass that would give even Eve a run for her Benjamins. So watch out America--U.K. hip-hop has a new weapon at its disposal, and as Interview's David Furnish discovered in New York recently, this is one smart bomb.

MATT DIEHL

DAVID FURNISH: I have to tell you, I've listened to your album so much.

MS. DYNAMITE: Aren't you sick of it? [laughs]

DF: No, I'm not sick of it, actually. For me it's the best album of the past year. And it has such lasting power, because it's a great mix of really good music and just amazing content.

MD: Thank you.

DF: Your lyrics are intensely personal. It sounds like you had a really harrowing journey growing up--a lot of hardship. How did you come to be where you are right now?

MD: [laughs] To be honest, I don't know. I think it was a lot of luck. I mean, I believe in fate, and I believe this is where I'm supposed to be right now, but I never expected to get here. I never wanted anything to do with the music industry. I love people--especially young people--and I really wanted to be a social worker or a teacher and just help--physically help--young people.

DF: You come from a big family, right?

MD: Yes. There are 10 of us, and being the oldest, well--that was a task and a half.

DF: Did you feel like you had to lead by being responsible?

MD: I hated being the oldest, because all I'd ever hear is, "You should be setting an example." And I got the blame for everything. I also found it very difficult because I had an older brother, who died of cot death before I was born.

DF: Oh, God...

MD: It was something my mum had never hidden from me--my mum's a really honest person. If you're old enough to ask the question, then you're old enough to get the answer, is her motto. So I grew up feeling really angry [that he wasn't around], and even though I didn't know him, I felt like I did. If I got into trouble for something, I'd go off to my room and talk to him: "I don't want to be the oldest. You're supposed to be here, looking after me." Growing up was difficult, but now I can appreciate it. My brothers and sisters are so proud of me, and they're all really good, intelligent, vibrant people. They say, "Wow, she's my big sister," and I'm like, "Wow, these are my little brothers and sisters," because they give me so much joy.

DF: As such a large family in London, there must have been tough times--economically tough times.

MD: Yeah. When my mum and dad split up--they separated when I was about two years old--it was really hard. Then my mum met my sister's dad and had my sister, and quite a lot of other children, who died when they were really young. Then, my sister's dad and my mum broke up when I was about 10. And that was when it became amazingly hard. By that time, I was old enough to understand everything that was going on. My mum was living on something like 40 pounds, maybe less, a week to feed three children. She wasn't working; she was trying her hardest to finish her degree. I saw my mum struggle for years and years. Then when I was about 13 or 14, I did an internship at a movie theater, and they liked me so much that they gave me a job. I felt like, "Right! This is my chance. I can help my family." You know, my little 40 pounds a week from my Saturday job-but it did help. I'd work extra days or extra evenings so that I could get my brother a pair of trainers or get my sister a new coat--

DF: --Nice sister! [laughs]

MD: A lot of people say stuff like that, but I don't see it as "nice sister." It was more like, "What else was I gonna do? Watch my sister be cold or watch my brother go to school with holey trainers?" I could never do that. I thought, "They need this. I can help."