On this day in hip-hop history, the queen of rap, Missy Elliott, released her debut LP, “Supa Dupa Fly.”
Arguably the most influential release of all time by a female rapper, the project launched one of rap’s most important icons, male or female. The experimental hip-hop/R&B masterpiece not only brought a fresh sound between mainstream trends, but also set the tone for what would become considered radio hits of the early 2000s.
The sound and success of this project owes much to Missy and Virginia-born super-producer Timbaland. The new-age digital R&B style production heralded a sound that became the standard for Top 40 crossover hits of the era. His technical prowess as a beatmaker was a personal complement to Missy’s unconventional, almost disjointed flow and smooth, soulful vocals. Missy’s abilities as an innovative songwriter made this phenomenal production come to fruition without skimping. The themes addressed were presented from a new perspective, highlighting the way she rode each beat, giving the project a strong theatricality.
Commercially, it performed fairly well, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. The album reached number one on the R&B/Hip Hop chart and appeared on the music charts in New Zealand and the Netherlands. The album was certified platinum in the US and silver in the UK the year it was released. Critics were unanimous in praising Timbaland and Missy Elliott’s work on the album, calling it “a key prophecy of the reign of black pop in the 21st century” and “everything the hip-hop doctor ordered: a woman who can navigate between aggression and romance, sex and nonsense, materialism and imagination without flapping a single ridiculously cobwebby eyelash.”
