Ms. Dynamite was born and raised in Archway, London, England, to a Scottish mother and a Jamaican father. She grew up listening to reggae and hip hop music. Though she wanted to become a schoolteacher or social worker, her biggest aspiration was to be a musician. She is the eldest of eleven siblings, one of whom is a grime artist known as Akala.
While working at the radio station RAW FM, Ms. Dynamite was discovered by Richard Forbes at a West End club. After working briefly with the garage act So Solid Crew, she released her debut album, A Little Deeper, in 2002, which won Britain's prestigious Mercury Prize for Album of the Year for 2002.
2001
Mr Prime Minister
Ms. Dynamite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Its so unfair but so clear
Don't none of them represent me
And aint one of them represent my peers
And it don't matter who we vote for, nor who gets in
The poor keep dying and the rich keep living
Mothers keep losing their children to the system
They stay strong while we remain victims
Educate yourself aint that how ya'll say it
But they keep increasing the fee
Knowing full well that we can't pay it
And did you stop and listen before you started dishing
Our tax for ammunition to kill innocent children
When right in front of you we can't cope
We hungry, homeless, unemployed and broke
Were dying, the health service is a joke
You said things would change when you wanted our votes
Chorus:
But it stays the same
Mr. Prime Minister
And we continue to die
Mr. Prime Minister
Not a damn thing changed
Mr. Prime Minister
Nobody hears our cries
When my life's a threat
They tell me run go call police
But yet who's gonna protect me from the beasts
They aint got my interest at heart
They aint my friends
Aint got a enemy alive as evil as the system
So much corruption and this gun shit wont end
And all they sit and fucking do is blame 50 Cent
Please, now take responsibility
Who's putting them runs on our streets
And who's pumping drugs into our community
Controlling the propaganda on my T. V.
And who's molding our children's ideologies
And taking away their opportunity
Were killing each other so we can live above our means
Cause what we earn can't even buy a fraction of our dreams
And wonder why so many have become fiends
Its so hard to live poor and keep your hands clean
So I am keeping mind together
And pray that god forgives my sins
Its real hard living the life were living
Repeat Chorus
In Ms. Dynamite's "Mr Prime Minister," the artist expresses her frustration and disillusionment with the British government and political system. The lyrics begin by questioning the effectiveness and representation of the parliament's hundred seats and how they fail to represent the people's interests. She laments the growing wealth gap as the poor continue to suffer and die while the rich prosper. Furthermore, the government's promises for change and progress are empty as the status quo of poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and a broken healthcare system persists.
Ms. Dynamite also criticizes the authorities for their inability to tackle crime and protect the vulnerable, particularly from the beasts that threaten their lives. Instead of offering protection and justice, they shift the responsibility onto the victims. She calls out the systemic corruption, blaming the government and media for perpetuating the gun violence, drug problems, and ideologies that hinder progress and opportunity.
Throughout the song, Ms. Dynamite expresses a sense of hopelessness but also resilience. Despite the hardships and challenges, she holds onto her faith and tries to keep her mind together. The song ends with a powerful repetition of the chorus, "But it stays the same, Mr. Prime Minister, and we continue to die."
Line by Line Meaning
How much hundred seats in parliament
Ms. Dynamite is questioning the power dynamics and representation in Parliament.
Its so unfair but so clear
Ms. Dynamite acknowledges the unfairness of the current political system and the lack of proper representation.
Don't none of them represent me
Ms. Dynamite feels disillusioned by the lack of representation in politics.
And aint one of them represent my peers
Ms. Dynamite feels that the politicians elected do not represent the people who she associates with.
And it don't matter who we vote for, nor who gets in
Ms. Dynamite feels that regardless of who is voted into power, the situation is unlikely to improve.
The poor keep dying and the rich keep living
Ms. Dynamite highlights the harsh reality of class inequality and how it can have fatal consequences for the less fortunate.
Mothers keep losing their children to the system
Ms. Dynamite comments on how unfair and unjust the system can be, leading to mothers suffering due to loss of their children.
They stay strong while we remain victims
Ms. Dynamite feels that the powerful do not care about the plight of the powerless and continue to ignore their struggles.
Telling us to hope for higher things
Ms. Dynamite suggests that politicians often make empty promises and encourage people to hope for better things without actually acting to make them happen.
Educate yourself aint that how ya'll say it
Ms. Dynamite is questioning the logic of telling people to educate themselves without giving them the proper resources and support to do so.
But they keep increasing the fee
Ms. Dynamite criticizes the politicians for hiking up the prices of education, which further disenfranchises people from gaining access to it.
Knowing full well that we can't pay it
Ms. Dynamite highlights the lack of empathy on the part of politicians who do not take into account the economic struggles of the less fortunate.
And did you stop and listen before you started dishing
Ms. Dynamite is questioning if politicians truly listen to the needs and concerns of the people before implementing their policies.
Our tax for ammunition to kill innocent children
Ms. Dynamite condemns the wasteful spending of tax dollars on violence instead of supporting communities and people who need it more.
When right in front of you we can't cope
Ms. Dynamite highlights the stark contrast between the lives of the powerful politicians versus the people impacted by their policies.
We hungry, homeless, unemployed and broke
Ms. Dynamite points out the many struggles faced by the less fortunate, highlighting that poverty can bring about many forms of hardship.
Were dying, the health service is a joke
Ms. Dynamite laments the poor state of healthcare accessibility and quality, which can lead to preventable deaths and illnesses.
You said things would change when you wanted our votes
Ms. Dynamite is calling out politicians for making empty promises during election season and then failing to follow through once in office.
When my life's a threat
Ms. Dynamite feels that her life is in danger due to a lack of protection and support from the government.
They tell me run go call police
Ms. Dynamite is highlighting the false sense of security that people are told to rely on instead of proper policy action in providing safety.
But yet who's gonna protect me from the beasts
Ms. Dynamite questions that safety provided by authorities as inadequate, despite the fact that authorities are responsible to protect the innocent.
They aint got my interest at heart
Ms. Dynamite feels that the politicians and authorities do not look out for the best interests of every citizen.
They aint my friends
Ms. Dynamite believes she cannot expect politicians and authoritative figures to properly support her, and that their role is not to befriend every individual and community.
Aint got a enemy alive as evil as the system
Ms. Dynamite feels the political, social, and economic system is inherently oppressive and that it comes with enemies that are bigger than individual aggressive people.
So much corruption and this gun shit wont end
Ms. Dynamite is frustrated that corruption and gun violence persist, and that politicians do not proactively take steps to address these issues.
And all they sit and fucking do is blame 50 Cent
Ms. Dynamite is highlighting that people in power often deflect blame onto those who are not source of the problem.
Please, now take responsibility
Ms. Dynamite implores politicians to take responsibility for their role in perpetuating the issues that citizens face instead of blaming others or deflecting responsibility.
Who's putting them runs on our streets
Ms. Dynamite is asking who is responsible for the illegal trafficking of weapons and why the government is not taking action to stop it.
And who's pumping drugs into our community
Ms. Dynamite questions who is responsible for the distribution of drugs in communities, highlighting that the government should be accountable for the public health of its people.
Controlling the propaganda on my T. V.
Ms. Dynamite points out that the government can control the messages accessible to people through TV and other media, highlighting the danger of propaganda.
And who's molding our children's ideologies
Ms. Dynamite is concerned that the government controls the education curriculum, which can impact the formation of thoughts and ideas in young minds.
And taking away their opportunity
Ms. Dynamite is criticizing the government for taking away opportunities from the youth by not educating them properly or providing resources to help them succeed.
Were killing each other so we can live above our means
Ms. Dynamite is highlighting a cycle of poverty and crime resulting from the pressure to get material goods instead of true needs.
Cause what we earn can't even buy a fraction of our dreams
Ms. Dynamite is observing that earning wages is insufficient to help people realize their goals or desires.
And wonder why so many have become fiends
Ms. Dynamite is highlighting the tragic consequences of poverty and a life of want, such as addiction.
Its so hard to live poor and keep your hands clean
Ms. Dynamite is speaking from her own experience of poverty, recognizing how hard it is to stay morally and physically clean when living in such situations.
So I am keeping mind together
Ms. Dynamite is stating that she is staying mentally strong despite the difficulties she is facing.
And pray that god forgives my sins
Ms. Dynamite acknowledges that she has made mistakes but is seeking forgiveness from a higher power for a better future.
Its real hard living the life were living
Ms. Dynamite sums up the struggles and difficulties of living in poverty.
But it stays the same
Ms. Dynamite concludes that little to no progress has been made by the government to help citizens break the cycle of poverty causing all these social issues and it has remained unchanged.
And we continue to die
Ms. Dynamite feels that despite calls for help or attention, the systemic issues and causes of mortality within the community remain unaddressed.
Not a damn thing changed
Ms. Dynamite highlights the despair that comes with the lack of progress or change towards breaking poverty and structural injustice.
Nobody hears our cries
Ms. Dynamite feels that despite calls for help or attention, there has been a lack of response from those in power.
Contributed by Austin O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.