ARTIST

Missy Elliott

Missy Elliott has been one of the most significant female rappers on the scene since the mid- to late '90s, when she began making guest appearances on songs by 702, MC Lyte, and SWV. Since then, Missy has stayed far ahead of the competition, a credit to her rap style that glides effortlessly over pummeling tracks from Timbaland, her longtime beat partner. The duo have established themselves as a noteworthy production team, penning songs for some of the aforementioned acts as well as for Aaliyah, New Edition, Ginuwine, and Total. When Missy made her solo debut with 1997's Supa Dupa Fly, she proved her viability not only as a talented rapper, but also as a music video icon. The Hype Williams-directed video for "The Rain," the first single from Supa Dupa Fly, perfectly captured Missy's colorful, animated personality and raised the creative bar for hip-hop music videos. With the success of Supa Dupa Fly, Missy's résumé grew between 1997 and 1999 with credits for Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Lil' Kim, and Spice Girl Mel B. She also executive-produced the soundtrack for the film Why Do Fools Fall In Love?, starring Halle Berry and Larenz Tate.

Missy's 1999 sophomore record, Da Real World, teamed her with hip-hop's elite: Eminem, OutKast's Big Boi, and Redman. Her third album, 2001's Miss E...So Addictive, showcased more of her illustrious R&B vocals. While her trademark rap releases won praise, she also scored a hit with the ballad "Take Away," a duet with Ginuwine. Hidden on the album was a bonus gospel song with luminaries Yolanda Adams, Mary Mary, Kim Burrell, Karen Clark Sheard, and Dorinda Clark Cole.

Instead of waiting her usual two years to release a new album, Missy's fourth full-length effort, Under Construction, hit retailers in 2002. The album was loaded with old-school hip-hop elements captured in the album artwork and song titles, including "Funky Fresh Dressed," "Bring The Pain"(featuring Method Man), "Back In The Day," and "Play That Beat."

Written by Billy Johnson Jr.