Missy Elliott

Like many others out there I heard the Missy Elliott tunes they play on the radio and I thought they were unique but more aimed at the dance/club side of hip hop rather than the Rap side. For that reason, I foolishly dismissed this album back when Missy was the hotest name on the block. Now a few years later I finally downloaded it, threw it on a cd, and started listening to it a couple days ago. I can't believe how much I love this album. I'm actually schocked.

To give you some idea of my taste, I'm a 36 year old guy who got hooked on Rap back when it all started. My favorite Rap Artists are BDP and KRS-One, MC Lyte, Run DMC, Beasties, PE, Poor Righteous Teachers, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang Clan, LL Cool J, Eric B & Rakim, EPMD, Slick Rick, Kool Moe D, Digital Underground, Biggie and of course Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five.

Well, this album seems to me to be a shout out to the old school rappers I mentioned above. If you are familiar with songs and lyrics from the old schoolers, you'll hear them throughout this album. It's like verbal sampling... instead of sampling the beats from the old songs Missy samples the lyrics. She takes old phrases and drops them into her fresh lyrics with her unique style and you can't help but be impressed with what she is doing. She is clearly paying homage to the old school that has influenced her style and she is doing it by taking the pre-gangsta style of rap and modernizing it while throwing in links to the past that show the song's influence.

In listening to this album I felt connected to it. I felt she was saying exactly what I have been feeling since the gangsta rap took over.. And that is "I miss the old school" and I wish an artist today would blow up doing old school style rap. Well, I got my wish in this album. I wish I had given it a chance a few years back so I could have been enjoying it all this time. But I guess better late than never.

Missy has been around since the mid-nineties and she's NOT going anywhere. I don't know how well the Cookbook sold but it had some solid songs too (Teary-Eyed, Meltdown & Lose Control). My Struggles was also a standout although it was mainly saved from being mediocre by an appearance from Mary and sampled from one of her songs).

But this album is a throwback in a way: Work It, Gossip Folks and Funky Fresh Dressed (3rd and final single) were all old-school based, as far as the videos.

All which made solid songs. Adding to the mix was Nothin' Out There For Me, Pussycat (my FAVORITE song here, and favorite EVER by her), Back In The Day, Ain't It Funny, Bring The Pain Feat. Method Man!, Play That Beat and Work It (Remix). The only missteps were Slide and the average Can You Hear Me, which has meaning but falls flat.

If you love Missy Elliot, PLEASE add this to YOUR collection. (:

Cover Art: B- (was the FIRST time I saw her with excess weight OFF!)
Inside Art: B (nice to see her the way she's always wanted to be; comfortable with herself)
Songwriting: C+ (spotty but good sometimes)
Vocals: C- (love when she sings)
Vocal Emotion: F+
Vocal Acrobatics: D-
Production: B-
Length: A+

4.25 stars.

In my eyes, this is Missy's second best album. (Her first best being the near flawless, Da Real World, even though it's hard to compare the two because they have two completely different sounds.)

The production on here is top-notch as expected, and her rhymes have improved immensely. Every single song on here is excellent, especially tracks like "Back In The Day" and "Gossip Folks." There are alos quite a few R&B cuts that are very nice and balance the album out.

This album has a lot of inspiration from the starting days of hip hop, and it can be seen. I think this is essential to everyone's collection who loves hip hop.

I never thought I'd ever respect or even listen to Missy Elliott, but here I am to say that I actually do. Why else would I be reviewing her critically and commercially successful studio album, "Under Construction"? With the help of long-time partner/super-producer Timbaland, a star-studded guest list (Method Man, Ludacris, Ms. Jade, Beyonce, etc.) and recurring background vocals from long-forgotten, multi-talented R&B songstress/eventual-ex-protégé Tweet, Missy Elliott continues to prove why she's made it this far. She's a fierce rapper, a more-than-capable singer, she writes her own songs (not to mention others), she's an excellent producer, she continues to push the creative boundaries of Hip-Hop music, she never seems to be afraid to try something new, she's a representative of sorts for females (mainly female empowerment) and even amidst all the sweaty, energetic party records she continues to pump out, she always seems to have something important to say. Without a doubt, "Under Construction", her 4th studio album, serves as proof of this multi-talented phenomenon's brilliance.

Of course there's the club-banging, role-reversing smash hit "Work It", where Missy Elliott matches her male counterparts in unapologetically raunchy come-ons and unswathed sexuality over Timbaland's minimalist beat & DJ scratching (on another note, try finding another track that incoprates the sound of a wailing elephant and a line that is literally rewound for some neatly catchy gibberish) ; Funk-inflected, old-school Hip-Hop jams come in the form of the somewhat-raunchy "Bring The Pain", the nostalgic "Back In The Day" & the weird-as-hell "Funky Fresh Dressed", featuring a drug-sex-hungry Method Man, the always-dope Jay-Z and long-forgotten female rapper Ms. Jade, respectively ; "Gossip Folks", featuring Ludacris dropping an autobiographical verse about rising to the top, is Missy's obvious ode to haters and non-believers ; on the suitably titled "Hot", Missy Elliott mercilessly takes more stabs at haters and competitors far below over more of Timbaland's minimalist, old-school-inflected, bouncy beats ; and the synth-heavy ballad "Ain't That Funny" finds Missy Elliott venting out on a no-good lover with unbridled vengeance and emotional intensity.

Even when Missy Elliott decides to position herself as a victim of love, the results oddly work - the sensuously raunchy ballad "P****cat", Missy desperately tries to improve her sex life so her man's eyes and/or affection don't wander elsewhere; and on "Play That Beat", another minimalist, old-school-inflected jam, Missy uses her sweet vocals and promising come-ons to display her dedication and love for her man. Then there's the stellar album closer "Can Your Hear Me", a beautiful ballad where Missy & T.L.C. pay tribute to Aaliyah, Left Eye and, to less extensive degrees, other past artists like Big Daddy Kane.

Unfortunately, there is a few small tads of filler. The romantic ballad "Nothing Out There For Me", a surprising Beyonce/Missy Elliott duet about the former artist choosing her man over the latter artist's pleas to join her in the club, finds Beyonce occupying more time on the track than Missy herself, but the song itself is a bit of a drag musically ; "Slide" is nothing more than Missy's celebration of materialism and self-aggrandizement over a heavy, slinky beat ; the synth-heavy/drum-driven album opener "Go To The Floor" (excluding the introductory skit) lacks the fire of the album's other club tracks ; and the tacked-on remix of "Work It" is no different to the original, except for the fact that an obligatorily misogynistic verse from 50 Cent shows that not even he can outdo Missy on her own track.

Nonetheless, this is a very solid album which, despite inflections of Funk, R&B, Pop & Electro, remains firmly grounded in Hip-Hop and is well worth the investment. 4 stars!

5 Best Tracks:
"Work It"
"Gossip Folks (feat. Ludacris)"
"Back In The Day (feat. Jay-Z)
"Funky Fresh Dressed (feat. Ms. Jade)"
"Bring The Pain (feat. Method Man)"

I love Missy Elliotts songs and her lyrics!! The cd came in great shape and in fast shipping time!

This is definitely an appropriate title for the album because that's exactly what it is: addictive. Or at least, very infectious.

I have this and Under Construction, and I find this one much better.

A woman in hip-hop who's innovative and respectable. A rare find.

What makes this worth buying is the technical proficiency and innovation that has been put into it. The title "Miss E...so addictive" reflects exactly what this album is about. The beats as composed by Timbaland and Missy herself are infectious virtually intoxicating. At the same time, it's musical. It has distinct melody. Take away the voices, and you have layer upon layer of...stuff. . The rhythm is great, both lyrically as well as musically. As usual, plenty of guest stars. For the most part, this is a good thing. This is especially true with such artists as Meth and Redman, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes. Jay-Z. Ludacris. Ginuwine, Eve and newcomer, at that time, Charlene "Tweet" Keys who appears on multiple tracks.

The duet with Ginuwine leaves much to be desired and is the low point of this album to me. My standout tracks are "One Minute Man", "Lickshots", "Get Ur Freak On", "Old School Joint" (it really sounds old but the beat is nice), "X-Tasy", "I've Changed" (an interlude where Lil' Mo sings), "One Minute Man" (a remix) this song is hot, with it's ultra-catchy rhythm arrangement. The two bonus tracks are really nice, "4 My People" has a frantic funk to it and Eve shines here, "Watcha Gonna Do," is good and finally "Slap! Slap! Slap!," which is rough and hilarious at the same time.

Don't expect any lyrical depth because that's not Missy's style anyhow. She sticks to what she and Timbaland do best, writing fun, original tracks (with often interesting bass and percussion samples) that always seem to bump and shake the clubs. Few do it better and this album proves it.

When I brought this album I love it so much I could'nt stop listening to it.The songs, the lyrics,the beats are just ear candy that I will waste batteries on my cd player on it.But something bothers me about this album the disc itself is cheap I had to buy it FOUR times because the disc kept breaking,maybe thats why the album went platinum.Lil'kim's disc last forever because my are all Scratch but still play really good. Missy maybe a good rapper but her disc company sucks so if you buy this album make sure you have a ipod or computer because once that this breaks (and it will) you'll regret not recording it to your computer or ipod other wise then that A MUST HAVE

Missy, Missy, Missy! This album is hot. What else can you say. You choose to be alternative rather than being gangsta and it works out perfectly. You choose not only to rap, but to sing as well, and it comes out flawlessly. What I'm trying to say is that Missy takes risks as an artist and it makes her much more credible than her competition, as well as much more interesting and fun.

Great production and creativity pull this album off. There is no real need to go through each individual song, because Missy Elliott stays consistent the whole album. Missy does some especially classy R&B balladary on this album, maybe arguably better than her UNDER CONSTRUCTION album (very arguably). My personal favorite track is the brilliant "Take Away" which features a crooning Elliott and a brilliant-at-his-very-best Ginuwine. "Get Ur Freak On" is easily my second-favorite. But favorites or no favorites, I could listen to this album all the way through all day long non-stop. It is that consistent and that good. Easily one of her best. 5 stars.

I remember this album when I was in the 8th grade. I love this CD. It is danceable and listenable. This album plows right over any preconceived notion you may have about the current hip-hop grind, as it seamlessly fuses pop,hip-hop,and hyper-kinetic R&B with its delirious passages of electro-inspired beats and sexy/salacious rhyme schemes. This album has been certified Platinum. Remember,this was 2001-2002.

I must admit. Ive been sleep on missy's last few albums for the simple fact I had no disire to buy them. But now she came back strong on this album. My favorite songs are lose control which is a dance jam. I have to pop lock on that jam every time I hear it, lol. I prefer when she sings which are my favorite jams they are #9,12,6. It interesting hearing mary j. blidge rap on track 5. But any ways this is a high quality cd from missy elliot and I reccomend it.

Missy Elliott must get credit for this album cause it was the first where she wasn't entirely relying on Timbaland's production. She let producers like Neptunes, Scott Storch, Rich Harrison and even herelf produce some songs. On some of her previous albums Timbaland had produced the majority of songs and eventually it looked like the production was more important then the quality of the lyrics or hook and Missy's song weren't always that good even if Timbaland's production skills were amazing. Only one single became a hit from this album out of only three released and that was "Lose Control", perhaps the worst song of the whole album that lazily samples Cybotron's classic breakbeat sample that also Africa Bambaataa once used. But this doesn't mean that the album is bad, as usual the production is hot and some interesting artists like old skool rapper Slick Rick appear on "Irresistable", Ciara and super annoying Fatman Scoop on "Lose Control" Mary J Blige on "My Struggles" which is a really good song by the way, then we have Idol Fantasia on "4 My Man". Best songs however are Neptunes "On & On" with a trademark futuristic beat and her third single "We Run This" with great drums and old skool sound. Closer "Bad Man" feauture some dancehall singers that I never heard of before, but it's a welcomed addition that sounds fresh. At the end of the day this is a solid record, with a good mix of trademark Missy beats and some new trendy collaborations aswell, Timbaland's impact here is minimal and infact he only produces 1 song (Joy). But Harrison, Neptunes and Missy herself do a good job on making some trendy party jams aswell as some slower songs. If you like Missy Elliott nothing should stop you to also get this album, but it's not her best. A solid 3.

Is this Missy Elliott's best album? If the critical and commercial response is anything to go by, "The Cookbook", Missy Elliott's 6th studio album & the successor to 2003's commercially abysmal "This Is Not A Test!", must suck to some degree because it barely surpassed U.S. Gold sales. Then again, lacklustre album sales usually don't define an album's quality - a fact that is strongly enforced on this 16-track-long disc, which once again displays Missy Elliott flexing her abilities as a producer, singer, rapper and songwriter. Before and/or after listening to this album, there are four things you should definitely notice.

Firstly, there's the cover art. Aside from Missy Elliott's surprising weight loss, her ladylike, elegant appearance in front of the vintage microphone starkly contrasts to the attitude-packing tomboy, the finger-wagging fat-s**t, the stone-cold face portrait or the dog-handling feminist displayed on the cover arts of "Supa Dupa Fly", "Da Real World", "Miss E...So Addictive" & "This Is Not A Test!", respectively. Perhaps this would indicate a re-invention of sorts, but "The Cookbook" is anything but. Obligatory club bangers like the Apache-sampling, horn-driven raunchiness of "We Run This" & the bland Crunk of "Click Clack" are still present, while many of the album's other tracks -especially the introspective "My Struggles" (featuring Grand Puba & an unexpected rap from guest singer Mary J. Blige) and the Slick Rick featuring/sampling "Irresistible Delicious", one of the album's many endeavours into part-singing/part-rapping raunchiness- are laced with old-school musical inflections.

Secondly, Missy Elliott's female-empowerment shtick is virtually nowhere to be found. "Mommy", a minimalist club joint that aspires to uplift female parent strippers, turns out sounding less like a female-empowerment anthem than another dodgy shot at raunchiness; the aforementioned "We Run This" & "Can't Stop" -featuring Rich Harrison's trademark Go-Go production (e.g. chuck a sexy old-school guitar riff/loop or a bombastic horn sample over lively drum patterns & presto)- are more meaningless displays of unapologetic lewdness ; and the raunchiness factor hits its peak on "Meltdown", which -in the vain of the aforementioned "Irresistible Delicious"- alternates between viciously crude, detailed 16-bar rap verses & an overtly sexual singing hook over smooth, hypnotic production, courtesy of the omnipresent Scott Storch.

Thirdly, "The Cookbook" has more ballads than most of its predecessors, most of which work out a lot better than expected. "Remember When", despite the occasional (and possibly annoying) shots of "YES" and "HOLLER", is a beautiful ballad where Missy Elliott croons with sincerity and emotion about her thankfulness for her boyfriend's forgiving response to her unfaithfulness; "Teary Eyed" displays emotions of vengeance and regret through sharp songwriting and Missy Elliott's emotional singing vocals over a minimalist beat, as does its lesser counterpart "Time And Time Again".

Finally, Timbaland, Missy Elliott's long-time collaboration partner, is only present on 2 of the album's tracks - more specifically, "Joy" (featuring a surprisingly good rap from Mike Jones) & "Partytime" (featuring a short, blunt stab at Sisqo's current irrelevance). The former track, with its weirdly accentuated intro skit, minimalist bounce, ethereal vocal sample, late-track slow-motion effect and Missy's boastful lyrics, is definitely the better of the two tracks, and possibly one of the duo's better tracks in their whole catalogue. While Timbaland isn't direly missed, I would've preferred any of his better concoctions than "On & On", a suitably (but unfortunately) titled chunk of filler, featuring weak production from The Neptunes, an annoying vocal hook from Pharrell Williams & more of Missy Elliott's boastful threats and self-aggrandizement. Thankfully, the Dancehall collaboration between Missy, M.I.A. & Vybez Cartel on the ruthlessly upbeat "Bad Man" (on another note, the conclusive skit is nothing but downright filthy s**t that ought to be banned or restricted or something) and the classic lead single "Lose Control" -an infectious club tune that incorporates smartly chosen samples (Cybotron's "Clear & Hot Streak's "Body Work), Missy Elliott's club-ready attitude, Fatman Scoop's energetic chants and Ciara's sweet vocals (not to mention a short rap and a sweet a Capella break) into a tight Electro/Hip-Hop/Pop jam- does more than pick up the slack.

Altogether, this is a very good (and highly sexual) album that, with or without deep examinations of its purpose or content, is well worth the purchase. 4 stars!

5 Best Tracks:
"Lose Control (feat. Ciara & Fatman Scoop)"
"Bad Man (feat. M.I.A. & Vybez Cartel)"
"My Struggles (feat. Mary J. Blige & Grand Puba)"
"Joy (feat. Mike Jones)"
"Remember When"

Worst Tracks:
"On & On (feat. Pharrell Williams)"
"My Man (feat. Fantasia)"
"We Run This"
"Click Clack"

When I bought this album, I was so disappointed. I put it away for a year without ever listening to it. The other day, I brought it out and gave it another listen. Still disappointed.

I respect the fact that Missy wants to grow as an artist, but leaving Timbaland is not the way to go. She brings a huge line-up of top notch producers, all of whom give Missy their worst production to date. (Yes, even the Neptunes.) Plus, all of the different producers give the album a lack of cohesion, which has never been a problem for any Missy album. (And she makes the mistake of putting all the slow songs at the end.)The Cookbook contains many samples, and they are all very uncreatively incorporated into the songs. Very lazy.

Missy's flow is nice and her lyrics have gotten better, even though she is kind of trying to be someone she's not at times. Most of the guest appearances are unnecessary and just there for credibility's sake.

Although I've done a lot of nitpicking, this is still a three-and-a-half star album. (In other words, I did not increase or decrease the ratin because it's Missy. I rate the songs, average their scores and get the final rating) But... this is without a doubt Missy's worst album to date. Maybe buy this album used, but that's it. And please don't let this one be your first Missy record. Buy any of her other ones before this.

Self indulgent mess of various horrible sounds and stupid rhymes. I bought this disc and immediately went to the doctor for a shot. I did not want to be infected by its disease. I still don't know what this rash is...

from many tracks on the record you could be forgiven for assuming you're hearing a track off a minimalist techno album with an inconseqeuntial possibly uncredited guest vocalist rather than a track off an album released under the name of a vocalist who is supposed to be taken as a vibrant personality. the vocals are so multitracked that they lose all humanity as well as make it difficult to make out much of what is being rapped/sung. the beats are generic at best, offering nothing memorable or hinting at the energetic grooves Timbaland would make his name with on later albums. the lyrically sparse lead single being based around a chorus hook covered off an old Tina Turner hit is a perfectly fitting representation of this album's complete lack of substance.

Aside the few "1 star" rankings posted by some heavy metal fans which likes to complain about the other musical styles (i don't know why they love this kind of useless behaviours) i think that the majority of the reviews are rightly focused about the "new sound" that this disk, and the other albums produced by Timbaland in the same period, has introduced in the R&B and Hip-Hop scene in the late '90.
Actually i've really liked the first three albums released by Missy, while the following aren't on top of my list. The recent "The Cookbook" it's the last in my personal ranking, and probably isn't a coincidence that it was the first album where Timbaland wasn't the main producer.
"Supa Dupa Fly" has been a remarkable debut for Missy, and i wish to mention even the funny and creative videos released to promote the singles extracted from the album. The beats provided by Timbaland was amazing (as usual) and the guests was truly a great contribution to the very high quality of this project.
You can hate or love Missy Elliott, but there's no doubt that she's been a main artist during the last decade, speaking about the R&B and Hip-Hop scene (i don't know who's been in the spotlight on the heavy metal scene...but i promise that i'll try to find some news about it).

Missy Elliott had been a member of the band Sista where she also met up and coming Producer Timbaland, the band however didn't get much airplay and disbanded quickly. Missy teamed-up with partner in crime Timbaland and helped him record Aaliyah "One In A Million" and Ginuwine's "The Bachelor" both from 1996. The upcoming year it was time for her to record her own album "Supa Dupa Fly" and ofcourse Timbaland was the man behind this album aswell. The sound of this album would be revolutionary to both Hip Hop and R&B. Timbaland produced his first major Hip Hop album and the production style he used is still amazing to this day. Timbaland mostly produces his own music (without the use of samples) and he's heavily influenced by dance and new wave using a style that was nowhere to be found in the Hip Hop at this time with heavy bass bounce beats, synth stabs and diffrent kind of unpredictable sound effects and in many occasions he'd be mumbling a few rhymes in the backround of his songs aswell. Only a few years later many other producers would be copying his style and it the charts would be loaded with timbaland influenced copy cats. Missy Elliott is also one of a kind, she's a song writer, rapper and R&B Singer and her style can not be compared to anyone else around. While she may not be the best female rapper around, she's perhaps the most influentual and accessible with humouristic and improvising rhymes that are hardly deep but funny, sureal or just weird like on "The Rain" (Sway on dosie-do like you loco, Like CoCo, so-so / You don't wanna play with my Yo-Yo/ I smoke my hydro on the dee-low. Add all the funny sounds that she makes on her songs on top of this. Obviously "Supa Dupa Fly" is perfect for radio airplay but also artistic enough to stick out on it's own.



This serves a bluprint for both Timbaland and Missy's later music, but as diffrent that this album was when it came out and how much impact it later would have, it's impossible to not speak positively about it! I'll have to add that this is more R&Bish then many of her latter albums that goes further into the Hop Hop territory. Busta introduces the album but doesn't appear otherwise. After an all female first song called "Hit em wit Da Wee" with Lil Kim, one of the highlights arrive, "Sock It 2 Me". There's actually 2 versions of this song, one that samples The Delfonics "Ready Or Not" and the other one without the sample. DaBrat appeared on the video version with the sample. Her biggest hit of this album "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) samples Ann Peebles hit with the same name on it's hook and is obviously a highlight with it's unique sound lyrics. "Beep Me 911" which was also a single deals with a cheating boyfriend and feauture Magoo. This clearly shows a diffrent side of Missy more vulnerable and sensitive, ditto with "Don't Be Coming" where she demands respect from her man. "Pass the Blunt" borrows the hook from Musical Youth's reggae hit "Pass the Dutch" while Ginuwine and Aaliyah appear on "Friendly Skies" and "Best Friend", both slower songs that make up for the cocky and surealistic in your face uptempo's that most people associate with Missy's music. 2 more worthwile songs needs a mention "Izzy Izzy Ahhh" that is Missy in a nutshell and "Getaway" with Nicole Wray, both funny uptempo's. On the first one Missy sound high on something when she sings the hook and she also makes cat noises during the verse!. Busta does an outro and then the album closes with a short message fro Missy where she thanks her fans that bought the album and god for making it possible. You get 13 real songs, + one intro, outro, interlude and finale.



Overall, Timeless album and one of the best in Hip Hop I can think of, cause of it's originality, production and because it serves as a bluprint for both Timbaland and Missy's latter careers. This is also Missy's best album in my oppinion. Not only it was revolutionary but it combines uptemops with ballads and seriousness with wittyness. Something that some of her latter albums didn't have. Missy May not be Queen Latifah lyrically, but she's far more enterraining to listen to and her great combination of singing and rapping is rare in Hip Hop. She may not be very deep either, but I can ensure you that you'll find enough funny words and phrases in her playful lyrics that makes up for that. Having said that, This is a classic and I'll be recommending it to anyone that wants originality and great and well produced music.

Now I have heard a lot of people say that this is a classic, and that it may be the most creative CD of all time, but when I take a listen, I just laugh. There are so many better rappers who have a million times the talent that Missy Elliot has and are so much more creative. Honestly, and the lyrics are awful, only a couple of the beats are okay, but after listening to Missy Elliot's annoying voice, then you will be very frustrated like I was that I bought this.

Wow! that seems ages ago but it sounds totally fresh. Missy's debut album-1998-totally rocked my world at the time. I hadn't played it for almost five years. Superb.

I remember when Missy was on 106 & Park promoting this album, they asked her how she got the album done so fast. Missy bluntly replied that her record label made her. (It was released, more or less, just a year after Under Construction. For some reason, instead of trying to promote that excellent album, they stopped everything and made her go back and record another. It goes to show you just how dumb the people at Elekatra Records were. Since then, the record label has fallen to pieces and their artists have been handed over to Atlantic Records. Sylvia Rhone, who used to be the head of Elektra, went to Motown Records and is screwing up eveything there,too.)

So probably even Missy knows this is not her best work. The prodcution is nice and I can listen to the whole album without skipping a song, but some just sound plain and rushed. Missy starts doing some of her own production on here, which is alright. Even Timbaland's beats do not sound as fresh.

Don't get me wrong... I really like this album, and if anybody else recorded it, it would've been fine. I'm just expressing that this is not her best work ever. As I said before, I can listen to the whole album without skipping, so it is good. (I am not being generous with the rating, it's really four stars.) I would recommend buying this, maybe used, but buy Da Real World or Under Construction before. Those are her two best in my opinion. This is definitely nothing near to her worst, though.

Missy came back again with another knockout album. This Is Not A Test is a true testament that life doesn't revolve around material things, but having a good time, and having God in your life and making sure you are still grounded and having family and friends is important. The tracks are not stellar by any means, but they are funny and danceable. Some of the songs that she sings are mediocre- due to the limitness of her alto, but she can sing with as much conviction as a dead cocateau. Overall, I like the whole album, not one of her best, but it's better than the first 3! Grade: B-

While THIS IS NOT A TEST! is definitely not the highlight of Missy Elliott's discography, it is by no means a bad album. This is still signature Missy with her R&B balladry and alternative rap "freshness". The production is flawless and the arrangements are as unpredictable as ever. Missy spits rhymes and croons sultry ballads. Yet, THIS IS NOT A TEST! does have its high points as well as low points.

As per the other Missy Elliott's albums, the album begins with an intro which in this instance features Mary J. Blige. Then when proceed into "Pass That Dutch", one of the albums better tracks, but it isn't stellar by any means. It lacks the hit quality that songs like "Get Ur Freak On" (MissE...So Addictive) or "Work It" (Under Construction) had. It is still fun nonetheless.

The next song is "Wake Up" which features Jay-Z. While the background arrangment and drum programming are cool, the song has flaws. Missy's rhyme is fine, but Jay-Z surprisingly delivers a rather average if not mediocre performance, a surprise for the great Hov. Either way, the hook to this selection is surprisingly catchy, which saves it.

Skipping "fillers" such as "Keep It Moving" feat. Elephant Man and "Is This Our Last Time" feat. Fabolous, the next mega moment of THIS IS NOT A TEST! is "I'm Really Hot". This is by far the highlight of the album. Not only is it signature Missy, its hook is really catchy making it easily comparable to "Get Ur Freak On" and "Work It". This makes the album worth it. Following it is a not too shabby, fun duet with R. Kelly called "Dats What I'm Talkin'About" in which Missy goes into R&B diva mode with the great Pied Piper of R&B himself. Sure, it can't compare to the classicism of say "Take Away" which feature Missy & Ginuwine (MissE...So Addictive), but it is again, a better track.

"Don't Be Cruel" is okay, yet it doesn't hold its own against tracks such as "I'm Really Hot". "Toyz" is fine as well, but you begin to see diminishing quality, which makes THIS IS NOT A TEST! slightly weaker than Missy's previous titles. Still, as "I'm Really Hot" states... "radio says I'm killin' 'em"; That statement couldn't be truer, even on this lesser effort. Missy is what creativity is about and what music is about; she tries not to conform which makes her different and makes each and every album she releases very unique, engaging, and exciting. I've already reviewed and listened to THE COOKBOOK and Missy raises the bar, just as she did on previous albums. Either way, this is still a 3.5 to 4 star album for me. I highly recommend Missy!

This album is very hilarious and fun to dance to. Missy is so gifted. I really think she could be a comedian if she wasn't an EMCEE. Her singing isn't bad either. I was really impressed with this album. I didn't give it five stars because I can skip several songs on this CD, but otherwise I was very impressed. Her standout songs are Pass That Dutch, I'm Really Hot, Dats What I'm Talkin' About, Toyz, Don't Be Cruel, and Let it Bump. If the CD wasn't filled with moaning I'd give it 5 stars.

I remember this album when I was in the 11th grade. This album is boisterous and the beats are tight. I love this CD. This album was to set aside all prior achievements,and free herself of any pre-conceived notions as to what the album should sound like. This album was not an exception. Timbaland produced the bulk of this album. The album adds some new moves to her game,including a nod to the kind of '60's black activism. She offered a hip hop remisx to the black power movement,threading some socially conscious food-for-thought amongst the album's songs. Her trademark ciphering an instinctual ability to build characters out of the strangest sounds and atmospherics is in full display on the album. The album also reflect some past nuggets. This album has been certified Platinum. Remember,this was 2003-2004.

Turn down that CHEESY music on your exercise DVD and make your OWN mix. Even if the beats per minute are off after a while you can STILL GET INTO IT (in your own home you can do it your way you know)!

I was interested in this product, when it arrived, for about ... 2 seconds. After that, I rarely listened to half the tracks. 4 My People is a great song, but the remix, while many love it, is awful. I like the original, and the remix just doesn't flow with the rest of the hits. I am also very disappointed that One-Minute Man does NOT include Trina, as the video does. She adds so much more to the song, while this version gets annoying after Ludacris' rap ends. I would recommend the original albums over this compilation, or buying individual tracks on iTunes.

Really like this album, it is a good choice of her songs and it is great up beat listening, a really good buy!

Whether you've been a Missy Elliott since back in the day and have most of her releases or maybe became a casual fan when she released "So Addicted," this CD is a must buy as it has a generous helping of Missy best (17 songs clocking in at 70 minutes) at and a few killer remixes to boot. Currently only available as an import, but the price is not cost prohibitive.

While I have most of Missy's releases, some of them are hit or miss when taking into account every single song, so the beauty here is that you have a collection of her best songs in one CD. There is not a dud in sight.

I had given Missy a rest for a while and for whatever reason this release has made me an even bigger fan if that is possible as it has feel of a party mix but you'll find yourself surprised, at least I did, that they are all Missy and not different artists. While she of course has guest stars in most of her recordings, they are not on just for sales purposes as they bring strong value added to their respective songs.

In a nutshell, if you are not a fan, nothing here will change that. If you are a casual fan it's a must. If you have all her releases and are really short on money, you can make your own mix. While it won't have the remixes, you'll still have a massive collection of songs that will make you want to sing, dance, rule the world. This release easily earns its 5 stars from this fan! While totally irrelevant to my rating, I love the cover of this CD. Missy looks darn GOOD!

i don't know it's okay i thought maybe i'd be a little bit better. since i'm 8 i had to get the clean version .i may be 8 but i can give you good advice if you check on d'angelo voodoo Clean version you'll see me eminem's slim shady lp you'll see me.but other wise than what i just said it's pretty good cursing wise 5/10 even with clean version . overall 9/10

Missy's the real deal.

In a world with poseurs searchin' for street cred (and mysteriously gettin it) and bashin' their Moms for [bad] reasons, ain't it nice that we've got the likes of Missy to truly shake things up and make stuff happen bigtime. She spins the words, razzle dazzles with rhymes and serves up pitch after pitch of catchy, soul groovin' tunes.

Don't ask me about Casper the utterly unfriendly Goob when we got the real deal in Missy. I'll take original and unique any day.

Keep it comin.

here are my personal ratings on the album.
1.9 - ok opening, should have included missy
2.10 - cool song
3.7 - missy was hardly included
4.10 - nice beat
5.7 - missy could have been in it more, her small parts are exceptional
6.10 - great song
7.9 - could have been more singing
8.8 - kind of a filler, lady saw (in my opinion) is kind of weird
9.7 - unecessary, a filler probably
10.10 - awesome song
11.10 - catchy
12.10 - cool song
13.7 - another unecessary filler
14.9 - great song but she could have sung more and the break was to long
15.8 - ok song, but not a fan of the other artists
16.8 - what was there, five words in this song? They can sure kill time with a sentence
17.9 - ok outro, could have had a beat

she is the best rapper and singer in the world and she should go on tour and if she do come to nevada first

she is the best rapper and singer in the world and she should go on tour and if she do come to nevada first

This album is almost flawless and in my eyes, it is a hip hop classic. It is Missy's best album, with Under Construction in a very close second place.

Timbaland's production on here is untouchable, even to this day. Unlike almost every other rap song out there, these songs aren't just the same loop repeated over and over again... they have movements. They unravel as the song moves on. This album, which spans over an hour, does not get boring for even one moment. Since Missy hadn't fully developed her flow at this point, she smartly made the album half singing, half rapping. This also further sets it apart from any other rap release.

This Missy Elliott album, although overlooked, is an essential recording. I would say that it paved the way for other artists... but no one has been able to touch the futuristic genius of Missy and Timbaland on this album. Ha!

Timbaland is the man! He got some hot beats for Missy and Missy added some hot lyrics and came out with fire!. In my opinion this is one of Missy's best work. She showed us how creative and talanted she is. Also the guest apearances are very nice. We got Da Brat, Lil Kim, Aaliyah, Eminem, and Juvenille. I still spin this cd and it doesnt get old. "She's a B*tch"! Thank You

Missy Elliot's sophomore effort, Da Real World, is heavily influenced by the movie Matrix. It's more so the production of Timbaland that gives the feeling and also supports the album as a strong foundation. As the album begins with "Beat Biters", this song sets the tone for the entire LP with dark violin undertones. Missy turns to a more mainstream feel by singing on "All N My Grill" featuring Big Boi and "You Don't Know". Redman take control of the situation on "Dangerous Mouths" as he out shines Missy over a layered off-beat track. To a little rougher feel, "Hot Boyz", Missy actually sings / flow with grace and finesse. After the talking on "Checkin' For You (Interlude)" featuring Lil' Kim should have been an actual song or simply longer with the singing of Misdemeanor and the track. Aaliyah & Da Brat aid Missy on "Stickin' Chickens" for a good lady connection overall with solid performances. "Smooth Chick" and "She's A B****" sounds strikingly similar with only a slight difference, but both are upbeat and both good in their own rights. Another R&B tune, "Crazy Feelings", ends the album as the last song with a slow ride ballad. "U Can't Resist" featuring B.G. & Juvenile is a highlight all rap / hip-hop song on here as Missy takes two verses for herself. Da Real World's production and variety is what makes this a good release for a music lover in general.

Missy Elliott is one of hip hops poineers who has produced and worked with many artists and continually makes great music.
MIssy doesn't disappoint with this record! Her beats and flows are more aggresive and more street than her latter ones.
Aaliyah, Eminem, Beyonce, Big Boi (of Outcast) Juvenile, BG, Da Brat, Lil Mo, Redman, and Lil Kim(interlude) all contribute on the album but don't ever take away from Missy but only enhance the album.
There isn't one song on here that is bad and this is probably now my favorite Missy CD which used to go to SO Addictive!
Favs: Busta Rhyme, Beat Biters, Stickin Chickens, Hot Boyz, and Crazy Feelings, basically everything!
This album is way ahead of its time.... still is! Go get it if you like any of Missy's work!

WHAT'S HAPPENIN' WITH MUSIC THESE DAYS. EVERYTHING IS SO SLOW, PUT YOU TO SLEEP, LISTEN TO IN THE LIBRARY KINDA MUSIC. I JUST REVIEWED TWO NEW ALBUMS BY CIARA AND DESTINY'S CHILD AND EVERY SONG PRACTICALLY IS S-L-O-W. AND BORING.......... AND SLOW. LIKE MAYBE ONE UPBEAT SONG THAT'S IT. I NEED TO BE AWAKE. I NEED TO LISTEN TO MUSIC LIKE THIS. THIS IS MISSY'S BEST ALBUM. YOU CAN ACTUALLY DANCE TO THESE SONGS. I LIKE MUSIC THAT'S UPBEAT, WITH GREAT TEMPOS, AND GOOD RHYTHM AND TIGHT BEATS. I HATE IT WHEN I BUY AN ALBUM AND EVERY SONG IS SLOWER THAN A TURTLE ON HEROIN. WHAT THE ****!!! THIS IS GETTING SCARY AS HELL. THAT IS WHY THEY CALL IT HIP HOP. SO YOU CAN DANCE TO IT, AND HOP ALONG, AND SING ALONG, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO FUN HIP MUSIC THAT'S MAKES YOU HAPPY IN THIS MISERABLE SOCIETY WE LIVE IN. YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE. IF I WANTED SLOW MUSIC I'D GO TO AN OPERA, OR LISTEN TO ELEVATOR MUSIC, AND EVEN PORNO MUSIC, AND THE TYPE OF MUSIC THEY PLAY AT LIBRARIES. WHERE IS THIS KIND OF MUSIC? HELLO? ANY OUT THERE? LIKE 50 CENTS SONG, GO SHORTY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY. THAT YOU CAN DANCE TO. WHAT IS GOIN ON.

Hi everybody, This CD rokz! One Minute Man is worth @least half of the price of the albulm, Be sure to check the song previews shown here, and buy these awesome songs:)

It's just to good, only one bad song on it, buy it!!!!!!!!!!

Old School Joint is the best track by far! Buy it if only for this!! As an album, its pretty good - but not as good as her debut release.

Missy Elliot has done it again with her newest release, "So Addictive."!!! After listening to the tracks on her new CD the usage of orginial beat and rhythms is mind bottling and confirms that 2001 is the year of new era music. All listeners of this CD can but only agree that her album title "So Addictive," speaks for itself.

I bought this for a friend who is planning to open a car wash. The perfect gift, no?

This song is hot. Don't listen to the other reviews. Missy blows this track away, and so does Christina. It's a very catchy song. It's well worth it. Buy the soundtrack, which I have by the way.

christina aguilera should be banned from covering old funk tunes like car wash she messed up the whole song but hey anything for money these days and missy elliot's pretty much doing anything these days to stay paid even producing trash like this I hope rose rouce got paid for this.

Make no mistake about it, as hot as Christina is, she's made some dreadful records in the past. The self-indulgent syrup of "I Turn To You" (worryingly already releasing overblown mush on her first album), the unconvincing "hey, I'm down with The Coloureds" strop of "Can't Hold Us Down" and that song with Ricky Martin where she looked like a more plastic Malibu Stacy. Still, nothing can compare to the sheer horror of THIS horrendous piece of plastic.

Yes, Car Wash, the song pretty much everyone knows, and certainly one no-one wants to hear again. Given a by-the-numbers, "will this do?" cover by Christina, and the biggest, one-trick pony in hip hop - Missy Elliot. Once considered ground breaking, (and that was just her weight), she's now decided to be seen with every meal-ticket going, adding her (lack of) charm to the likes of Ciara. How this women gets away with the drivel she puts out is simply beyond me.

Anyway, this song. It's lazy. It's cynical. It's boring. Hell, even Christina sounds bored. It's the soundtrack to singers counting the money and reading the lyric sheet in front of them. Worst of all, it was for that laughter vaccum of a movie "Shark Tale". So, uh, why would there be a car wash underwater? Abysmal.

The_Curmudgeon_Hates_You@yahoo.co.uk