Ms Dynamite, a prophetess of our times & wealth over morality
Tags: Wealth, Morality, Culture, Society, Black British

She was before her time, but what we thought was a call against toxic masculinity, currently speaks to us like it never has before.

There is something extraordinarily empowering about Black British women in the early ninety’s and noughties. There was definitely an interesting electric atmosphere that allowed 90’s babies to be introduced to life and culture at a time where aspects of cultural pride were just beginning to be celebrated. It was the outcome of Black British empowerment, a time where pride of this hybrid culture was being birthed after years of struggling to be seen. London-centric culture was celebrated in schools, the celebration of the likes of Sade, Shola Ama, Gabrielle, and Ms Dynamite — classy and cultural women that were lit, that we could all relate to. Wholesome but still humble to their roots and not afraid to showcase this in their music.

This was a time. It was a movement. And it was soothing.

Speaking as a 90’s baby, in comparison to what is currently our lived reality, this was a more simplistic, authentic time. We were Black & British, hyper vigilant in our cultural differences but a mass celebration of the culture via mass media allowed for a pride in that title. And of course the music represented just this.

You can therefore imagine that as the world seemingly crumbles in the midst of a global pandemic, whilst many of the countries of our heritage are overflowing with the pain of corruption, rape, violence and frankly genocide, outlets of peace are requested. After the protests in the UK calling for the resignations of the most harmful politicians in Nigeria’s government, whose greed for money and power lead them to make the orders of a genocide — moments of recharge are required. I found myself needing the soothing sounds that bring back memories of a simpler time. Aptly, I scrolled across playlists until I found a Black British Songtress playlist that performed this role to the tee. Of course, I found this, and more so, came across a song that shook me, and highlighted the issues of society that have resulted in the boiling point we are seeing at the moment. All this found by Ms Dynamite’s — It Takes More.

I find myself engulfed by what I can only describe as a prophecy of our current time, far removed from any understanding that I would have had of this tune previously. In the echos of melodic tones the UK songstress states “So what you pushin a nice car, don’t you know there ain’t no such thing as superstars. We leave this world alone so who gives a fuck about the things you own”. Whilst distracted by the lyrics that really rocked me in relevance for the first time since it’s release in 2002, “And we can all chat bout gats and blacks on blacks, enforce the hypes and all be stereotypes, but youts are watchin that ain’t what I’m here for, show em to think higher and aspire to be more” bellowed in a meaningful position, speaking on a very current state of affairs in our society — in our generation- in a way that I though a distant lesson until now.

Whilst her concerns on materialism had encountered me as a warning to men that indulged in behaviour that would solely project their monetary status, through materialism, as a way of attempting to attract the opposite sex (be it poorly judged or not). These words echoed a different meaning, relevant to the world in 2020 and our overall attitude to wealth. Specifically, the mentality of wealth over morality and the detrimental effects of this attitude, not just in the UK but worldwide.

This mentality that has strayed away from what would have been traditionally deemed acceptable, has now gone a step further from accepting liberalism but more so celebrates versions of this that can in many ways put money over morals and sometimes self-care. As we see the positive prospects that come alongside OnlyFans pages, fraud and more, we also — more relative to the current systems at hand — see the inflation of the bad and bouji. The displays of wealth across the internet through an ever-growing clique of individuals living £100K lifestyles amongst in a world where most are 2 months away from a maxed-out credit card and possible homelessness.

Over the last couple of years we have been thrown into a desperate age of comparison, all for image, to be in the best restaurants, have the best designer items, buy the sexiest cars and even cop a house by 27 (laughs in brokeness) and when we fall short of this we sink into a ‘underachieving’ ditch.

In the early 2000’s this narrative used to be limited to those who would pull up to a dance in the latest cars, with chains that would be best suited on top of a Christmas tree, eager to try and hand you a drink with the cuff of their sleeve pulled up to expose a watch that most of us wouldn’t even recognise in the first place. Now? Now it’s everywhere. Everyone trying to prove how tasteful they are and eager to touch on just how much this tastefulness costs. We are swimming in a clout ocean, where social media is the river that feeds this insane compulsion, spewing out just a bit more toxicity and diverseness day by day. Because the attitude of comparison has become the hill that we are ready to die on — sad thing is people ARE literally dying from this.

Essentially this attitude feeds into global suffering and is a direct facilitation of the power and greed that leaves others in our home countries suffering. From sweat shops, to items made under the most bizarre circumstances in China, to political families using country resources to fund their children abroad, we can see plenty of examples of expenditure and convenience funded by the suffering of others, we have just become desensitised to it. Us indulging in these attitudes may feel like a victimless crime, but just because we cannot relate to those who are paying the price of our convenience at the peak of capitalism and consumerism doesn’t mean they don’t exist. We, as a society have become a huge part of the problem. Ethics are no longer questioned in the hunt for a better life — for privilege. Dirty money has seemed less so as the economy has plunged into the mud. Austerity is real dirty, and the same money will get us out the dirt. Understandable right? Well of course, so let’s stop denying it and really face some harsh truths about our reality. The strive to be better has made us part of the problem.

Sugar daddies, becoming an influencer, setting up an Only Fans, all feasible ways to make money in 2020, especially as we embarked on the global pandemic that has left many of us worse for wear financially. These steps have just become another form of income in a world where ethics does not pay the bills but at least 10 subscribes per month might. The thing about this is it builds a certain expectation, that will make it very difficult for our children to live up to without compromising their wellbeing in what we would hope to be their best years. Our striving to do better and the affects of austerity may have a detrimental affect on our children’s mental health and measures of self-esteem, when the time comes for them to contemplate the direction and goals they want to pursue in life, which will inevitably be significantly earlier than it was for us.

‘It means more’ acts as a re-ignited flame that, for me anyway, has highlighted in nostalgic innocence. Whilst societal values may have shifted in the decade in which the song was conceived, the outcome of these problematic behaviours remain the same regardless of how necessary it may seem at the moment. Yes, we are a society of grinders, overworking to ensure that we can reap the benefits now and in the future, but the innocence of our children might just be what we are compromising on. Her message being direct in the noughties, now speaks to a whole society of people rather than a small egotistical clique. The need for the new attitude to money and ethics has become completely understandable, but the consequences remain as detrimental as the Garage hit prophesied. We need to be aware of how we navigate this space of influence if we want to protect future generations from a growing adolescent mental health crisis.

The attitude of the elders, pushing us in comparison to others,Keeping up with the Joneses, has undisputedly caused us to reenact the same harmful behaviours, that had led us into depressive pits caused my unattainable life comparisons. This is a form of suffering we cannot inflict on our youth going forward if we really want to avoid them having to deal with the trauma our generation spends years attempting to recover from.