Sex symbols in the British grime scene have so far been a little thin on the ground, unless you're a gay man who fancies anorexic black boys from council estates.

So when Lady Sovereign appeared on the scene, could you blame all the punters for hearing her perky voice and clever flow and imagining a hyped-up Minnie Mouse with bouncy tits and a firm grasp of semantics? But then she materialized in the video for The Streets' "Fit But You Know It (Remix)" and—lo and behold—she looked like a 12-year-old. There went all the grime boners.

And up they rose again when it came to light that this 5-foot-1 treasure is actually a 17-year-old. Lady Sovereign is from Neasden, London, and she loves McDonald's and video games. Oh, and she just signed to Island Records for 3 million pounds.

VICE: I guess it's hard to date anyone from the grime scene…

Lady Sovereign: I never know if people are approaching me for the right reasons. I'm single at the moment, but I'm just going to wait for the right person to come along rather than going out and looking. You've just gotta be careful these days, innit? Some people might be ashamed to tell you certain things, so you could be getting into bed with them and whatnot and the next day waking up with a rash, you know?

What are the guys like who try and get with you?

They're mainly blah-barians. That's someone who is just blah-ing you about, innit. Chatting rubbish and whatever. I've always had blah-barians. People talking about me and ringing my phone saying, "You think you're this and that." God knows how they get my number.

That's a bit stalkerish, that is. Have you ever been on a date where the guy has been really off-key?

Nah. I just hate it when someone can't kiss. That's so important. This one guy I dated couldn't kiss at all. He had his lips all over my mouth like a bloody toilet plunger. I just made up an excuse, got out of there, and missed all his phone calls from then on.

MATT MASON
The single "Random," featuring Riko from Roll Deep Crew, is out now on Island Records. They recorded it during a visit to jail, because that's where Riko lives now. Sov's full-length album is dropping later this year.

COMMENTS

Anonymous, on Jul 7, 2008 wrote: hallo

Subject: man i love dis shit Date: Mar 12 2007 05:01:29 PM Author: make way for the S.O.V.! this shit is so awesome and i oove lady s. she rocks!! she is like my role model!! peace ooutt!! Subject: / Date: Feb 15 2007 06:23:44 PM Author: frm brum dick head americians Subject: idk man Date: Jan 15 2007 10:16:55 AM Author: ReB FL what the hell is wrong with you bastards? i bet all u dicks are from america, arent you? Dont talk because if you got a shot at a career you would suck shit, alright? so until you make more money than her SHUT THE HELL UP Subject: lady sovereign Date: Dec 12 2006 12:35:42 AM Author: Toast Lady Sovereign is the hottest girl that i've seen in a long time. Subject: it is... Date: Nov 20 2006 06:37:16 PM Author: Talent Grime is retarded music. British culture should be about eccentrics breaking out of tired old scenes. Grime is all about acceptance and being part of some little group of fuckwits who are the most self conscious pricks in london. Subject: FUCK U Date: Jul 29 2006 08:15:24 AM Author: dan b i cant belive all u yankee cunts diisin da british.come to london.u pricks wouldnt last 5 minutes.CUNTS! Subject: boring Date: Jul 07 2006 02:09:42 PM Author: Matt all thes bitches need to fuck if u like this coment e-male me www.Snke072793 Subject: Free music Date: Apr 04 2006 12:54:53 PM Author: E-mc^2 if you happen to read this and actually like grime then www.barefiles.com otherwise fuck off Subject: .... Date: Dec 06 2005 03:32:16 PM Author: adz dude shes well hot and as a 'mosher' (tho im not im more gothic (not goth) like ville valo) i think we know im not liein. and if your ever in leeds go 2 strawbs on a friday so we can chill. Subject: chewy lard Date: Nov 30 2005 07:35:18 PM Author: turd sandwich I have to poop...BEEFCAKE!! Subject: sov Date: Nov 04 2005 07:04:55 PM Author: xxxxx ite' wot u all chatin sovereign is sound she is da best yh? so stop cussin! in a bizzle! x x x Subject: im so embarassed to be reading vice Date: Aug 01 2005 03:48:28 AM Author: elaine gahhhh this article succccked this lady was so boring and so was that other article about the other guy no one gives a fuck about british grime go wipe your ass with some vintage fred perry and go back to the midwest Subject: ahem Date: Jun 24 2005 08:00:54 PM Author: Peter thanks for the spice girls, you asshole. Subject: fukin americans Date: May 29 2005 10:49:14 AM Author: brit punk yeah all the americans dissin us brits can piss off sayin bout the way we speak! your the ones who took OUR language and made it shit n as for the us rap scene, our musics better than yours any day Subject: You are all chavscum Date: Apr 13 2005 04:17:32 AM Author: You are all chavscum You are all chavscum Subject: S.O.V. Date: Mar 17 2005 05:49:31 PM Author: CousinChris Yo. fuck all ya'll dorks. Lady Sovereign is dope!!!!! Check out the track Random, dope. Plus she is cute. p.s. your all ugly Subject: doye Date: Mar 11 2005 01:20:15 PM Author: um maybe she passed them. she was walking faster than the girls who were off key Subject: Grime Date: Mar 06 2005 05:23:01 PM Author: Nemo How is that uneducated dolts stateside sound so ignorant, yet uneducated dolts cross the pond sound so cute and cuddlely. They ryhme and you're all 'Oh little angry chav!' Subject: proper heading Date: Mar 03 2005 12:39:24 PM Author: mbv shouldn't this article be entitled "CHAVING SHIT" Subject: The dog.... Date: Mar 02 2005 04:40:31 PM Author: Dean JK .....is so fucking lucky. Imagine youself beeing around that girl with a chain around your neck. I´ll fucking hate him... Subject: different names - same bullshit Date: Mar 02 2005 07:53:39 AM Author: Pope John Paul II The UK has Grime, the US Crunk… The UK has 'aousin estates, the US 'Da projects… The UK has Mike Siknner, the US EMIEM… The UK has lady Sovereign the US has……Christina aguilera call it what you want but it all smells of shit  PS feeling better hope to be back at work soon XX Subject: bring back WIGGER! Date: Mar 01 2005 04:49:03 PM Author: Dr. Fate So, if anyone reads this. We need to bring back, in as major way as possible, the word Wigger. Its so early 90s yet so appropriate! Subject: Soveriegn? more like half a crown Date: Mar 01 2005 11:14:24 AM Author: PC1001 She is utter balls, who cares about someone trying to steal her Burberry scarf at the bus stop on the way home from school or some other playgroud bullshit, and with the worst PSP2 beats your ever going to hear. Is she not from that same middle class fee paying drama school that churns out fresh meat for Grange Hill, East Enders and every boy /girl band from The Spice Girls to Blue? You can put her middget arse in shell toes and a tracksiut but it's still closer to the streets of South Ken than Hackney Subject: This is gay Date: Feb 20 2005 03:46:24 AM Author: Taeil Watching her music video made me cringe. Vice records suck so much ass. Vice should rather remaster and redistribute Boots and Braces than this wiggar shit. Subject: chav another drink Date: Feb 18 2005 11:51:07 AM Author: guess who haha...good link. so a "chav" is basically brit white trash...haha Subject: this Date: Feb 17 2005 06:19:58 PM Author: is great fucking stupid brits: kinda funny though made by some drunk dart throwing pub bar back. this is the grime scene: http://www.chavscum.co.uk/ Subject: uk Date: Feb 16 2005 05:16:06 PM Author: roger van sant for real, grime is shit. i thought they kept it uneducatedly-real in the u.s., but the estates get retarded with it - quite literally. can any of these anorexic little monkey-children even speak to each other? they sound like ali g on shrooms with cerebral palsy. grime is like cousin blair recording a song for her birthday at la-la land. Subject: eat a dick limeys Date: Feb 16 2005 09:17:49 AM Author: Martin Van Buren she needs more makeup on her top lip 'cause that shit is showing through...and i must concur, brit rap/grime/two-step etc. is complete assgarbage. fuck you vice for loving it so much and fuck the UK for exporting all your white trash bullshit! take a look at yourselves...what the fuck happened to your country?!?!?! Subject: Keepin Shook Crews Runnin... Date: Feb 15 2005 01:11:26 PM Author: PP Mobb Deep's the real grimy shit. Ya'll fake ass brit half ass rappin ass niggaz. Subject: What!! Date: Feb 15 2005 11:35:35 AM Author: Lil jon Crunk s tha real grime!!! Yeah!!! Subject: Fuck Date: Feb 14 2005 01:28:16 PM Author: Brits seriously, what's with all the british bullshit in vice this month?? I don't give a flying fuck about anything British- especially with their pikey speak, innit this, and massive that. fuck a cockney grime scene. UK can suck a big cock!!!!! Subject: Sugav Ice Date: Feb 14 2005 12:10:04 PM Author: me "That article about Lady Sovereign is the best thing I've ever read, I reckon." "What's the second best thing you've ever read?" "Uh..Books and shit." (Grins) Subject: Please Date: Feb 14 2005 09:14:13 AM Author: antwone Hey! Little Dick pow is gettin played on hot 97! Hahahaha...!! Yeah heard it in between cam and snoop,all day every day.English rap is shit,maby it works for em or some,but not here,and my gay brother s with me on this ... Subject: Sov Date: Feb 14 2005 12:36:35 AM Author: Muckymurka SHWAGEST MC PON ROAD !!! Comes across as a fake wid da yardie accent She actually thinks shes sum kinda yardie Next issues, plz consider : Shystie - Serious mc, bare talented. Fury - Muckyyyyyyy. Oozy Skarface Subject: whats wit all this grime Date: Feb 13 2005 09:33:59 PM Author: grimey shes doesnt look that grimey to me!!! Subject: football gold chain Date: Feb 12 2005 02:14:54 PM Author: me i'll snag her gold chain...pawn it...then go smoke weed and watch a football game.. Subject: American Rap is stagnent Date: Feb 12 2005 01:56:20 PM Author: pow That is why Lethal B's Pow is getting played on Hot 97. When you say 'we' you mean you and your gay brother? Heat in the Street Vol 3 - best Grime comp at the moment. Subject: encore Date: Feb 11 2005 11:31:37 PM Author: antwone English rap is still shit and we still don t give a shit about it. Streets n all Subject: WILEY Date: Feb 11 2005 05:30:13 PM Author: 3507321C WILEY IS DA GRIMIEST CAT OF DEM ALL ! WOT U CALL IT ? Subject: yawn Date: Feb 11 2005 01:29:56 PM Author: chickenfried Nice self-promotion, Vice. Lady Sovereign and Plan B are on your new grime comp, right?