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Missy Eliott, Super Dupa Fly Album Review by Rahmon
by Rapjoint Lagos
During a time when commercial hip hop was frowned upon, and heavily criticized, Missy Elliott proved there could be originality in it. Not afraid to experiment with different genres, and have a unique personality, Missy's ear for beats helped the quality of her music as well. With the help of Timbaland (who was relatively unknown at the time), a fresh, innovative production style was heard by the world.
Missy's style was unique too, she had a melodic delivery, as well as her unorthodox rap style not yet heard by a female in hip hop, and hardly even heard by males in hip hop. Perhaps one of the most versatile female MC's of all time, it would make sense why she would team up with Timbaland, one of the most versatile hip hop producers of all time. Timbaland's production style, as proven on this album, is original, versatile, and above all, sounds great. From smooth R&B sounds, to head-nodding hip hop tracks, Timbaland proved himself to be one of the best, and most versatile hip hop producers.
Supa Dupa Fly is the debut studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released July 15, 1997, on The Goldmind and Elektra Records. The album was recorded and produced solely by Timbaland in October 1996, and features the singles, "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", "Sock It 2 Me", "Hit Em wit da Hee" and "Beep Me 911". Guest appearances on the album include Busta Rhymes, Ginuwine, 702, Magoo, Da Brat, Lil' Kim, and Aaliyah. The album was recorded in just two weeks.
The album received acclaim from critics, who praised Timbaland's futuristic production style and Elliott's performances and persona. It debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 and topped the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has sold 1.2 million copies in the United States.In 2020, the album was ranked 93 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and, in 2022, 53 on their 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time.
Missy Elliott's melodic, sing-song delivery helped her songs sound better, and keeps the listener interested throughout the album. On top of being a talented rapper, Missy Elliott is a very talented singer as well. Missy Elliott had head-nodding hip hop tracks ("Izzy Izzy Ahh", "Gettaway"), great R&B tracks ("Why You Hurt Me", "Friendly Skies", "Best Friends"), and more sounds to keep you interested. There's enough diversity on this album to make you want to come back to it, and just general great music.
Supa Dupa Fly is a fantastic album, and Missy Elliott's magnum opus. From the production, to Missy's delivery, this album, as Busta Rhymes describes it in his outro, is an emotional roller coaster. From front to back, this album should keep you interested with its diversity, both in production and lyrical styles. One of the gems from the commercial rap era.
Supa Dupa Fly debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with 129,000 copies sold in the first week released,becoming the highest debut for a female rapper at the time.The album remained on the chart for 37 weeks. On September 19, 1997, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over a million copies.As of June 2008, it has sold 1.2 million copies in the United States.
References
Wikipedia.com
sputnikmusic.com
all music.com
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