Miss E… So Addictive: The Legacy of Missy Elliott

Hands down, she is one of the greatest to ever do it. The most creative woman in hip hop. Between both her and Busta Rhymes with the most creative, funniest, and wackiest music videos, her ability to do both singing and rapping and is an incredible writer and producer as well. She’s worked with so many artists that the list is endless. They say her ability to create should be a crime, almost like a misdemeanor. The Misdemeanor herself, aka Missy Elliott, the Virginia native that been through it all and still came out on top to be one of hip hop’s most respected in the game. She grew up an only child with an imagination that reflected very well in her personality and art. While she was in high school, she met a guy named Tim Mosley, who we all know today as Timbaland. Their chemistry worked and they became something that was dope, they were a duo, like peanut butter and jelly, ketchup and mustard. They Always hung out to create something. Timbaland was a DJ while Missy sang and rapped and they would feed off of each other to help make each other’s skills stronger. She also became part of an all girl group who named themselves Fayze. They only had one joint out called “The First Move.” After high school, she and her group went to a Jodeci concert dressed as the female version of them, which was Missy’s idea. They performed for DeVante and they were part of his crew called Da Basement under his label called “Swing Mob.” Other members of Da Basement who we all know as well were Magoo, Tweet, Playa and Ginuwine. DeVante changed Missy’s group name to Sista and in 1994 they released an album called “4 All The Sistas Around Da World” with the only hit single “Brand New.” By 1995, Swing Mob was no longer in effect and Missy left it behind. She then returned as just a producer and writer and ended up being featured on Gina Thompson’s 1996 remix of “The Things That You Do.” Missy also did hits for Total, SWV, 702, Nicole Wray, Destiny’s Child, MC Lyte and worked with Aaliyah on her album “One In a Million.” By 1997, Missy finally released her debut album “Supa Dupa Fly.” Her single “The Rain” came with a video that was way ahead of its time. Directed by Hype Williams, Missy’s Videos during that time was something that was never seen or done before by a female in hip hop. Hype Williams is a director, who at the time, was doing music videos that was far more creative and different from the rest. After breaking out for her debut in 1997, Missy continues to keep putting out albums and hits for days. She’s also writing and producing for other artists as well. With more albums under her name like “Da Real World”, “Miss E… So Addictive”, “Under Construction”, “This Is Not a Test!”, and “The Cookbook”, Missy never loses her touch. She continues to keep going and she’s gotten more greater each time. She was honored at VH1’s 2007 Hip Hop Honors and she’s done a lot of philanthropic work and was even a spokesperson for women who were abused by sharing her story of what happened to her as a child. Forever innovative and creative, imaginative and magical, Missy is definitely a legend. She’s so fly and so addictive!