Ms Dynamite – It Takes More

If you’re sick and tired of endless misogynistic Gangster rap, it seems you’re not alone. Ms.Dynamite is a 21 year-old black British singer who has been raved about in the press recently (compared to Lauren Hill, amongst others). She’s intelligent, talented, and she’s got more on her mind than the usual mindbogglingly superficial ‘bling bling’ lifestyle which usually goes hand-in-hand with rap, hip-hop, and Garage. Her latest single is “It Takes More,” which I heard on the radio and absolutely loved. I love her sneering but completely calm delivery – she really tells it like it is, and there are some killer lines in the song (check out the lyrics below).

It reminded me of Sarah Jones’s recent protest song “Your Revolution” which was a sarcastic rant against the misogyny and sexism of stars like LL Cool J and Notorious B.I.G. Feminists became extremely annoyed when an American radio station was fined for playing it – effectively censoring the song – due to its supposed “offensive” lyrics. The song featured lines such as:

Your revolution will not happen between these thighs . . .
the real revolution ain’t about booty size . . .
and though we’ve lost Biggie Smalls
your Notorious revolution
will never allow you to lace no lyrical douche in my bush . . .
your revolution will not be you smackin’ it up, flippin’ it, or rubbin’ it down
nor will it take you downtown or humpin’ around . . .
your revolution will not happen between these thighs . . .
because the revolution, when it finally comes, is gon’ be real

“It Takes More” is in the same vein and a similar kind of attitude – a refreshing jolt back to sanity and reality. Ms.Dynamite talks a lot of sense.

In Activity Grrrl zine #1, contributor Missmogga complains about the current black music scenes: “I can’t make myself like garage just to fit in and be black, I need to hear life stories, real stuff, I don’t wanna be lied to, I don’t want bums tits bitch… rap is not the people’s music, it pretends to be but its not… it’s saying look this is what’s important, cars, looking flash, women being nothing but models… Please tell me I’m wrong, there’s a huge alternative afro-centric multicultural, all gender acceptable, freak, no gun scene going on with decent tunes.”
Missmogga, we may not be quite there yet, but if Ms.Dynamite is anything to go by, there may be hope.

It Takes More – Ms Dynamite

The shit that you promote:
Fightin’
Fuckin’
like you don’t want to grow

You talkin’ so much sex
but you not tellin youth bout Aids
and you not tell them bout consequence,
no

You talkin like you a G
but you a killer killing your own
you’re just a racist man’s pussy

Tell me who wants to know
what, when, who, where or how you do your ho?

Certainly not me
Certainly not me
Cos baby personally, I like to be challenged mentally
I’ve heard it all before
gangsters, pimps and whores
Quality is poor
A girl likes me needs more.

It takes more to amuse a girl like me
So much more to confuse a girl like me
They’ve got you –
cos while you’re braggin bout your badness you’re just
avoiding, adding to the real shit that’s happening to us

Now, who gives a damn
about the ice on your hand?

If it’s not too complex
tell me how many Africans died for the baguettes on your Rolex?

So what you pushin a nice car?
don’t you know there’s no such thing as superstars

We leave this world alone
so who gives

a fuck

about the things you own?

Certainly not me
Certainly not me
Cos baby personally, I like to be challenged mentally
Your bullshit’s insignificant
And it don’t help to pay my rent
It’s pure negativity
that you impose on me

It takes more to amuse a girl like me
So much more to confuse a girl like me
They’ve got you –
cos while you’re braggin bout your badness you’re just
avoidin, addin to the real shit that’s happening to us

Now I could sit and chat shit about dicks and sex
But my business is my business I got self respect
I could talk bout how my press could pimp man’s dough
Get the keys to his ride and his home
But I looked it up and that would make me a ho
Little sisters now I really gotta let you know
Real women ain’t sexin for no man’s dough
Real women work hard to make their dough
And we can all chat bout gats and blacks on blacks
Enforce the hypes and all be stereotypes
But youth are watchin – that ain’t what I’m here for
Show em to think higher and aspire to be more

It takes more to amuse a girl like me
So much more to confuse a girl like me
They’ve got you –
cos while you’re braggin bout your badness your’re just
avoidin, addin to the real shit that’s happening to us

Lyrics by Ms.Dynamite. Check out her website at www.msdynamite.co.uk

Reviewed by Catherine Redfern.