Ms. Dynamite - A Little Deeper

It's not surprising that London, England's Ms. Dynamite--Niomi McLean-Daley to her mum--snagged 2002's prestigious Mercury Prize, and a couple of Brits Awards, too. U.K. artists have yet to distinguish themselves as a force in hip-hop, so when a disc the caliber of A Little Deeper emerges, especially from a conscious female emcee with a voice as smooth as glass and a cocksure swagger that's palpable, it's noticed. Ms Dynamite's love of roots reggae is in evidence throughout--especially in the island grooves of "Seed Will Grow," featuring Kymani Marley --but detours into cinematic sounds and funk also power the proceedings. "It Takes More," presented here as the "Bloodshy Main Mix," juxtaposes faux Left Bank accordions against a hip-swiveling percussion, resulting in an incredibly catchy number that could be subtitled "Amelie of Brooklyn." "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee," its staccato groove draped over Ms. Dynamite's silken come-hither rap, is a deserved hit. Singing and rhyming in about equal measure, Ms. Dynamite manages to at once condemn (loser lovers in "Put Him Out;" poverty and oppression in "Brother") and celebrate (togetherness in "Seed Will Grow" and "All I Ever"). Comparisons to Ashanti and Lauryn Hill point to Ms. Dynamite's place in the urban cosmos, but the crisp, elegant stylings on A Little Deeper are her own. --Kim Hughes