Throwback Thursday: Missy Elliott Edition

Throwback Thursday: Missy Elliott Edition

A legend was born 50 years ago today.

Melissa Arnette Elliott arrived on this planet on this day in 1971. At age 20, she would form a R&B girl group called Fayze (later called Sista) that secured a deal with Elektra Records. The group seemed to be on its way to joining the ranks of the superstar girl groups that defined the ’90s. However, after the group’s debut album got shelved, the members went their separate ways.

With the end of Sista, Melissa — along with childhood friend Timothy Mosley (a.k.a. Timbaland) — was now focusing on writing and producing songs for other artists. Also, she began rapping and was now going by the name we would know her by: Missy Elliott.

As she began building a repertoire of classics as a writer and producer — from Aaliyah’s “One in a Million” to 702’s “Steelo” — Missy was also dropping classic verses (and hee-hee-hee-hee-haw-ing) as a featured artist on a number of hits. By 1997, she was ready to release her debut album.

As a child who grew up in the ’90s, I was spoilt with good music, but there are only a few instances I can remember where I heard something that — even as a child — I recognized as truly different from the rest. Missy Elliott’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” is one of those instances. Now, of course, I was too young to know that the song borrowed its key elements from the Ann Peebles classic, but it was the first time that I loved a song that wasn’t melodic in a typical way.

Over the next few years, I would become a whole Missy stan as she blessed us with one classic after the other, all accompanied with quirky yet amazing videos, and all while remaining original every step of the way. For millennials of a certain age, her songs are the soundtrack of our lives and a reminder of just how good we had it.

Join me in celebrating the life and career of this singing-, rapping-, dancing-, songwriting-ass queen!


“The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”


“One Minute Man” (featuring Ludacris & Trina)


“All n My Grill” (featuring Big Boi & Nicole Wray)


“Beep Me 911” (featuring 702 & Magoo)


“Take Away” (featuring Ginuwine & Tweet)

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