Tag: Supa Dupa Fly

Once again, another great classic hip hop album has reached a milestone. It’s like excitement and disbelief at the same time because I was once a kid listening to it when it came out. To give a quick recap, Missy Elliott is one of hip hop’s most creative artists. She got her start in an R&B group called Sista under the management and direction of Jodeci’s own DeVanté Swing but when things started to take a change for the worst, Missy abandoned the group and everything she worked hard for at the time. Fast forward to the summer of 1996. Missy appears on Gina Thompson’s remix of “The Things That You Do” and she also wrote and produced on Aaliyah’s “One In a Million.” Then, a year later, on July 15th, 1997, Missy released her debut album “Supa Dupa Fly.” An album with a sound that was like no other. Timbaland’s production and Missy’s creative, bright and colorful music videos and catchy songs full of R&B vocals and raps made Missy an innovator right out the gate. Her and Busta Rhymes both had music videos that were super cartoonish and creative. Missy brings you, rapping, singing, dancing, and a bunch of other stuff that you’ve never heard and/or seen before and it made you want more. Singles like “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”, “Hit ‘Em Wit Da Hee”, “Beep Me 911” and “Sock It 2 Me” were all on heavy rotation during 1997 and 1998. Other albums cuts like “Best Friends” and the catchy and dope interlude skit “Bite Our Style” were my favorites outside the singles. Missy’s style and look was also something innovative. She brought back the finger waves that was out during the 80’s, with baggy clothes and sneakers. Ski goggles, garbage bags, oversized baseball jerseys, track suit pants and big sunglasses. A combination of looks that came with a person who was very confident in her size and it also proved to women that you can be yourself. Being plus sized was also beautiful, especially in a world where they only celebrate being thin. 20 years later, Missy is still someone who doesn’t get the credit she deserves as a producer but that’s something normal in hip hop, something that shouldn’t be. Women not getting the same or equal recognition as the men. Makes women like Missy shine even brighter and makes her even more legendary for always staying true to herself in a male dominated field. She’s always “Supa Dupa Fly.”