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Ms DYNAMIITE

Ms DYNAMITE

Britain’s leading female rap star is nominated for six Mobo-awards at the Music Of Black Origin show at the London Arena tonight.

1    MS DYNAMITE may be Britain’s leading    her Scottish mum Heather. And when she was 13,
 female rap star, but anyone expecting a hardnut her mum became ill with cancer and Niomi had to
 ‘gangsta girl’ is in for a surprise. The 21-yearold care for her young brothers and sisters. Her mother
 makes it clear in her lyrics that she is anti recovered, but Niomi has not forgotten the
 ‘gangsta culture’, drug dealers and black-onblack importance of setting a good example.
 violence. As for her style, she likes to5    Niomi still lives where she was brought up,
 keep things low-key, dressing simply and although she is finding it hard to fight the demands
 avoiding photo shoots that try to make her look of success. “It has been crazy lately. I live with my
 sexy, because she feels this takes the focus family, but I hardly get to see them.” Despite
 away from her music. “I’m not interested in Niomi’s new-found fame, she has stayed true to
 flashy material things. Fast cars and diamonds her roots and is proud of the social and cultural
 are not where it is at.” mix of her upbringing. “I have been taught to take
2    In fact, Ms Dynamite, whose real name is people as I find them.”
 Niomi Daley, seems more like a social worker6    Unfortunately, Niomi can speak about racism
 than a pop star. So it was appropriate that she from personal experience. “When I was at primary
 invited me to interview her at her former school, people called me names like ‘black bitch’
 secondary school, Parliament Hill School, in and ‘black cow’. It was weird because I never
 North London. Within minutes, news of her even thought about being a different colour from
 surprise arrival spread through the school like my mum, who is white. As a kid, I didn’t see
 wildfire. It is a compliment that local star Niomi is colour, just people. But in a way I am glad I went
 careful not to take for granted. She says: “I love through that because it made me stronger.”
 children and I want to inspire them, I don’t think7    The music being recorded by many other rap
 you can underestimate the importance of that.” stars is often obsessed with sex, drugs and
 
TOP CLASS ACT …
Niomi back at her old school		 violence. But although Niomi has worked with the
  controversial rapper Eminem, such subject matter
  is not for her. This refreshing approach has not
  brought down sales. So far more than 150,000
  people have bought her album A little deeper.
 8    Niomi says: “If I had a pound for every person
  that told me I wasn’t going to get anywhere, I’d be
  a millionaire. But all it really did was make me
  stronger. Every time they said, ‘You can’t do it,’ I
  was like, ‘OK, can you give me the mike now?’”
3    Niomi proves her point by patiently signing9    Back at Parliament Hill School, the kids are
 autographs and chatting to pupils, making sure begging to talk to Niomi and they all want to be
 they understand the importance of good grades. photographed with
 The visit to her school is not just some clever PR her. You don’t find
 stunt to impress a newspaper. She seriously feels many pop stars
 the responsibility to give something back to her visiting their old
 young fans. She says: “I really want kids to realise school to help a
 how important it is to have an education. I am new generation find
 lucky to be where I am, but I also have exams to its feet. But clearly,
 fall back on if I need them.” Ms Dynamite is not
4    Niomi has experienced the hard side of life. just any pop star.
 When she was two, her Jamaican dad, Eyon, left

The Sun