Wednesday 16 December 2009

14: Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On

"Kore kara minna de mechakucha odotte... sawagou, sawagou"

Timbaland's fingerprints are all over the musical canon of the Noughties. His career began in the 90s, producing for the likes of Aaliyah, Usher, Nas and Jay Z, yet it's his work this decade that has catapulted him to 22nd in the list of all-time most successful producers, based on weeks spent in the UK Top 40 by songs written by him. That puts him ahead of the likes of Keith Richards, David Bowie, Prince and George Michael.

And if we look at his work this decade, you can track his subsequent success (with Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, the Pussycat Dolls and more) back to 2001, and the massively successful album, 'Miss E... So Addictive', which sold almost 2 million copies in the US alone.

'Get Ur Freak On' was the lead single from the album, and remains her highest charting UK single, reaching #4 in the charts. The song is based around a Bhangra beat, and a 6-note melody, played on the Bengali instrument, the ektara.




Missy has always held somewhat of a unique position in the music world. She's aggressive, as female rappers go, and her lyrics, especially on this track, verge on gangster rap. Her delivery has a natural flow, never more so when she yells "SI-LENCE! Hush yo' mouth, silence when I spit it out in your face, open your mouth, give you a taste". But it was the combination with Timbaland's bouncing tune that made this one of the biggest tunes of the decade. No self-respecting night out is complete without some of Missy's "new s**t".

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