LogFAQs > #954355829

208. Missy Elliott Work It (2002)
from the album Under Construction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjIvu7e6Wq8

Key lyrics:
Ti esrever dna ti pilf, nwod gniht ym tup

Nothing bothers me more than the endless debates over the greatest rappers, chiefly because I rarely hear Missy Elliott namedropped. Putting her on that level should not be an uncommon opinion; her popularity during the late-90s and early 2000s was matched by her critical success. And theres nothing about her music suggesting she was pandering for popularity; a track like Work It is as out of leftfield as it is effective. In fact, her best work is unapologetically weird, in a way we rarely got from female pop stars in that era and now seems a defining trait for so many.

The production on Missys best tracks are next level. Work It has such an electrifying rhythm; while plenty of modern pop can be vaguely considered danceable, Missy Elliott was making genuine dance music. But never does she come off as a rapper coasting off strong production. Her rapping is as forceful and energetic as her beats. Lyrically, Work It is an aggressive ode to herself, a celebration of her own body. She blurs the line between sex appeal and outright vulgarity, a warning she might be too much to handle for the average man. Yet the entire experience adds up to something playful, Missy having fun with her own audacity.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/