Amplify Dot is part of a new wave of British MCs breaking out from the underground. This 24 year old packs a powerful lyrical punch, punctuated with moments of arch perception and hilarity. Her playfulness, teamed with bouts of fiery attitude, is a celebration of female power and identity.
Amplify Dot releases ‘Kurt Cobain’, her first single for Virgin Records, at the end of April. Written by Dot on what would have been Kurt Cobain’s birthday, the song looks at the rock n roll lifestyle – how on the surface it seems exciting, but how that can often be our downfall.
“The song is a bit of a warning but at the same time it’s me saying look, if you’re gonna live fast at least do it properly, go full throttle, be a rebel and go out with a bang.”
The moment when Dot realised her only ambition in life was to become an MC came at the age of 14 when she attended a sold-out Missy Elliot show in Brixton. On hearing the rap queen call out for someone in the audience to come up on stage and show off their lyrical prowess, the precocious teenager scrambled through the crowd and over the barriers to present herself as the best candidate for the job. A rap battle ensued and Dot emerged victorious, with Missy declaring “One day you’re going to be big!”. It’s safe to say she was talented from early on.
With props from Ms Dynamite, Wretch 32, Kano, MistaJam, Westwood, Zane Lowe and Missy, plus three mixtapes under her belt (Dotty’s World, Born Ready and Spare Parts), Amplify Dot has one of the most exciting voices in the scene. This genre defying artist spits confident rhymes creating a witty and rebellious narrative about the world around her.