Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Overall real chill hip hop album. I knew Work It was 10/10 but hadn't heard much of the rest. Liked the features by Ludacris and Method Man. Not a big fan of the Beyonce feature.
Ok, I must admit I wasn't sure but great work Missy. Work It is an easy fave.
I liked this album okay. I think that Missy Elliot makes excellent music with Timbaland. The features on the album are good. It makes for great dance music. I think, in some ways, not enough time has passed for me to critically evaluate this album, since it now sounds old, but not old enough that it's easy for me to place it in the history of hip-hop. It's at that in-between age when a lot of good albums feel like they have aged poorly, like a lot of early 2000s music. I felt the same way about 80s music when I was younger, but eventually came to really appreciate it. 4/5
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Bring the pain, Work it, Hot
God damn what a glow up from Missy. I thought her debut was absolutely carried by Timbaland and a few features, with Missy Elliot’s rapping leaving a lot to be desired. I’ve never been happier to be shown up, because god damn does she have a presence behind the mic now. Combine that with some more consistently excellent beats from Timbaland once again, and you got a recipe for a great album.
4/5. Solid girl-boss hip-hop 👍
¡ǝuo sᴉɥʇ pǝʎoꓩuƎ
It doesn't feel quite as groundbreaking as her astonishing debut or the futuristic classic Miss E... So Addictive, but it's still a really solid album. The production is killer as always, and Missy continues to be a phenomenonal rapper with a uniquely assertive delivery
Hett
en pärla!!!
Nice one
This review is a Missy Elliott exclusive. I thought this would be a fairly unremarkable hip hop album thrown here just to balance out all the rock and folk, but damn okay. I like this a lot.
pretty good album, kinda cheesy but overall a pretty fun love letter to hip-hop I thought the end was pretty funny, “byemothafucka” 7/10
Best Song: Pussycat. Has to be one of the best R&B choruses out there, in a track that manages to be both absurd and legitimate at the same time. Worst Song: Back In The Day. Get Jay-Z outta here. The choppy beat is good, but wasted on Jay-Z's low energy input. Overall: Missy crushes it with her self-aware and funny lyrics. Timbaland crushes it with some production that is maybe peak-Timbaland, with layers upon layers of clipping beats. Honestly, the features here are the weakest parts (especially Jay-Z and Beyonce). Missy's presence is so big, and she's so uniquely playful and creative, that it feels a waste to have her share the stage.
[nodding head] 2002 Missy
What a pleasant surprise! Missy Elliot has a masterful control over the production of this album; great old school beats and fun raps. I like the overall positive/light hearted spin, but also that the album is dedicated to the people that she lost. I knew Work It, obviously, but it was fun to revisit. I also REALLY enjoyed some of the music videos. Creative stuff.
Missy was in your face, fiery and vulgar before it was cool
It's Missy 🤷🏻♀️ What can I say?
This is a surprisingly deeper album than I would have expected. Missy's love for the overall hip-hop community really shines through. With all of the intro/outros throughout the album really hark back to where she came from and pays tribute to who came before her (I'm not normally a fan of intros/outros). She really brings the love for the music and the music alone and does away with the huge egos and all of the unnecessary 'gangsta' deaths. Best: Work It Worst: Slide
I was surprised by the amount of other singers on the album. Pretty alright album, not something I would tend to choose.
Really excellent album, she has great flow and great beats.
Loved it!
It's Missy, it's classic, it's timeless and it still kicks so much ass. Hot album!
SO GOOD. I am ashamed to have never heard this album before, but that's why I'm doing this project. I knew Work It, of course, but the other tracks were all new to my ears. Dedicated to Aaliyah, produced by Timbaland, this Missy Elliot album sounds amazing. Like, if it had come out today instead of nearly 20 years ago (which...how has it been that long??) - it would still be fresh and sound great.
How could you not enjoy this?
Good album
I remember a review calling this "coffee table hip hop" which does sum it up a bit. Thing is Missy just works with so many talented people that when her flow isn't the best each song has a killer beat or hook. 4.4
Klassiker, viele Songs die man kennt. Guter Rap aus den 2000ern.
Missy is able to achieve the rare feat of having hit singles and solid supporting tacks in a strong album. In addition to having her most popular song "Work It", Missy frequently touches on current events and her mourning of contemporary Aaliyah. This album is a good blend of Rap and R&B while having multiple asides a staple of future mix tapes.
7/10 not my favorite style but it had interesting beats.
Wow, what a great album. First full-length I've listened to from Missy Elliott. I know about her, but wasn't too familiar with her music going into this. Plenty of hits, including some I recognized. The rapping is excellent and good lord, the production is amazing. It's handled almost entirely by Timbaland and Missy herself, they really are a force to be reckoned with. Give me more like this. Favorite tracks: Work It, Slide, Hot, Pussycat, Funky Fresh Dressed. Album art: Nothing to write home about, just a picture of Missy in the street. She's under construction I supposed. 4.5/5
Damn bars where hard af back in the beginning of the century. Most of the album slaps even tho that Bey track is cringe af
Lyrics are a bit of their time, but it was a fun listen.
A pretty great album! Hearing a woman in hip-hop take control of sexuality and other topics dominated by men of the era, and the talking directly to the audience vigniettes within songs seem like the most notable takeaways of the album and trends of the era. 3.5 rounding up!
Enjoyable.lots of singing as well rapping. Very accessible and good intentions from Missy. Obviously as sex obsessed as Prince!
Really enjoyable, excellent grooves
This is a really good album that makes me think about all that 2000s Hip-Hop/soul and wonders where did it all go?
Pretty solid! I don't usually like hip hop or music from the early 2000s, so I was surprised to find that I liked this hip hop album from the early 2000s. Some really good guest verses. Didn't dig all the songs, and it started off a little rough, but I'm very glad I listened to it.
Reminds me of life just post-college. I'd forgotten that the album is a tribute.
Listened to at least parts of this a fair bit back in the day. I think to surface gloss of the saucy content distracted me from its deeper track message of grief for the many senseless losses hip hop sustained around the turn of the century, and its call for unity.
Good album: I love the lyrics Missy Elliott throws out without any shame, and her pronounciation is a refreshing change from more recent vocals that tend to go more towards mumbling. There are a few tracks that miss imo, but the beats are generally enticing and the features add to the songs. Not sure if I'll come back to it but I can defo grab some songs from here to go in the playlist
didn't expect the pussy talk but whatever, the album was good
It was OK, but I didn’t listen as closely as I probably should have, as I was doing chores.
Just like the name it feels like it’s building to some great tunes. Pussycat was particularly memorable
Early 2000s rap at its finest. The moments where she's speaking to the listener are a little dated feeling but they also give this album its charm. I still can't really get with the reversed parts of Work It but everything else hits for me Saved: Bring the Pain, Gossip Folks, Funky Fresh Dressed, Slide*
A classic
I love Missy Elliot because I feel like she keeps hiphop weird. Timbaland is probably also responsible for some of that, but I can't mistake her for anybody else. Every song I've ever heard of hers I liked. A natural.
Really benefited from the interstitial comments about representing for females. Made me appreciate she wasn't being "vulgar" (btw I didn't care but it would keep me from recommending to others) for shock sake. Mid line marks because hiphop isn't my thing but salute to the author for speaking her thoughts!
Missy is dope and whew that feature list
Work it is peak early 00’s. Although not every a song is famous, it’s a lot of fun. Luda/Gossip talks is underrated
Beat from the intro track had me hooked. Insane features
4,5 Yaaaaaaas, ga ik zeker nog eens luisteren. Features zen hier zeker een meerwaarde. Work it BOP (was natuurlijk een nummer dat ik al kende but still) HOV is the goat. Missy Elliot > Cardi B
fun, funny, great album and production
I really enjoyed this one but then I do loves me a bit of hip hop. If sounded so fresh, couldn’t believe it was from 2002 - it spoke of topics still relevant today.
How have I never heard Missy Elliott before? 8 songs in, absolutely excellent.
Great Early 2000s Nostalgia
I dug this a lot
Very good album. Missy is very clever!
Damals mutige Texte, heute unmöglich, wenn man #metoo berücksichtigt. Sie singt in deutlichem Englisch. Ist das jetzt highclass Rap? Auf jeden Fall erinnert es an Schulzeiten.
Lots of bangers on here
classic, idk what else to say. bomb ass features from method man, jay z, beyonce, tlc.. pretty good
Missy Elliott is a lot of fun on this album! The production stands out and her confidence makes this worth listening too. It's not the best hip-hop by any means, but Missy Elliott has cemented herself in the history of hip-hop and it's well-deserved by all accounts.
Pues qué más que decir? Pues que me gustó. Todo un sonido que definió los inicios de los 2000, grandes colaboraciones con artistas que hasta la fecha son vigentes y unos beats superpegajosos que inevitablemente alcanzarían la popularidad. Aparte de Work It y la que hizo con Jay Z, me gustó Play that Beat, está super good vibes el sonido. Mood: Me siento bichota sin salir de los 2000.
Highlights: Work It, Gossip Folks, Back in the Day, Play That Beat, Can You Hear Me This might be one of the most important hip-hop albums of all time: It's prescient (Bill Gates and Donald Trump? Jay-Z for president?), it's old-school even for its own time, but it maps out the future of hip-hop ("Back in the day...Hip-hop has changed"), and it wouldn't be Missy if it wasn't also foul-mouthed and that's OK. Hip-hop isn't my style, but I can't deny that Missy Elliot is the salesperson for the genre.
All time classic
Classic Missy!
Good record! A lot of LPs of this era fall flat in spots, but this held me throughout
Entgegen aller Lästereien, die im Gruppenchat stattfanden, fand ich das gerade richtig geil. Hat mich irgendwo abgeholt und mit in eine richtig geile 2000er-Sause genommen. Mit Bauchfrei, Bauchnabelpiercing und Hüftjeans. Würds mir sicher wieder anhören! Mega entspannend.
This was actually well good - so didn't expect to love that! What a grooooze
Very slick - Missy Elliott makes it all seem effortless. Fave track - gonna have to go with "Work It" - love that the gibberish after the lyric "reverse it" really is the vocal track reversed. Always fun to hear people attempt it in karaoke! 😆
Better than I remember. Fun album. Adding to my collection.
Awesome
So many bangers! Loses the plot a little in the second half (really didn't like Pussycat or the Beyoncé collab) but otherwise so solid. 3.5
What an album! I am not a hip hop fan, but this album is incredible. The guest appearances are a who's who of hip hop. The content is sometimes funny and thought provoking. Other times a little raunchy, but always entertaining.
Man, I remember listening to this back in the 2000s. But, I don't remember having this much fun.
Such great focus, production, and performances. Not wild about every song but this is my favorite Missy album for sure.
Not my style, but I can recognize the historical influence.
Girl power, roliga voice overs med, bra beats timbaland!
lit
Top 1 kvinliga rap-album.
Much more fun and consistent than I gave it credit for
S'alright, had some iconic songs but overall not particularly compelling.
I'm not really into it, but it's ok. I think the production is pretty good. 2.5 rounded up.
A lot better than a lot of this genre
3/5.
I like the hard hitting beats, and Work It in particular is a swinging tune. Don’t care too much for the RnB touches, like the guest appearances from TLC and Beyoncé. It’s also a tad too long
I'd say a 3 to a 4. Really solid album, with some of her biggest hits. A bit samey in places but doesn't drag would like to have the ability to give .5s on this thing!
This sometimes feels more like a timbaland album than a missy album. The production and beats are the real star of the show. Missy raps fine, but it didn't elevate the album to something greater
Very fun getting ready to this
Some outstanding tracks especially at the start - Nicki Minaj really owes Missy a lot Great collabs too but overall the album would have benefitted from a bit of editing
Solid record, great beats, stellar attitude, often funny (in a way that still holds up) and the list of guests is a real who's who. possibly a touch long, would have benefited from a little more trimming.
I liked this album much more than I expected. I went into it with an open mind, but I only liked maybe one song on her first album that came up earlier, and I was never a fan of her songs on the radio. However, this many years later, and listening to the entire album, I feel I understand it more and did like it pretty well. The beats and flows were much better than I expected, and though some of the lyrics were a bit cringey, they mostly held together and held up. I would give this a 3 or 3.5, but I'm going to stick with 3 on this scale.
This was fine, Work It always goes hard, the rest is decent.
Okay, now i rated Supa Dupa Fly a 5 i think. That record is amazing. Timbaland kills that. This one, is closer to the hiphop i really don't like. The early digital age. Things sound thin, super processed, it just does not have the soul of 80s and 90s rap. She's cool, and all, and the lyrics are good sometimes, but i did not get the feeling that she's speaking to the womeeen. It was not a woman empowerment album at all. Favorite track was Bring the Pain by far. That's an incredible beat. Anything else is around a 3 star for me, so for the EXCLUSIVE album. I'll give a mid 3
Being from the 757, I'm well familiar with this album. While I like some of her other works better, she brought a great flow, the features crushed it (especially Method Man), and the beats are nostalgic.
Missy needs to include a brace to guard against neck snapping response.
Celkom príjemne počúvateľné...pri žehlení a skladaní prádla...
Never really been a fan of Missy. I appreciate her music and some of it is pretty catchy, but don't enjoy listening to it on a regular basis. Her music Videos are usually pretty good though. I enjoyed watching them back when Much Music still played music videos.
Better than her other entry on this list Supa Dupa Fly with some great collaborations. I heard this everywhere when it came out, but not exactly my jam. "Work It" is going to be in my head all day now.
Pretty solid
5.5/10
Come on…come on..come on…
Haven’t listened to this before. Surprise Jay Z, method man, ludacris, Beyonce, TLC
Fun rap
While Missy Elliott’s music has a unique and strangely addictive quality, hip-hop is still not really a genre I naturally connect with. Work It was easily the highlight for me, especially because of its unforgettable laid-back feel and repetition. I was also surprised to learn that the song contains reversed vocals, even though I had known this song for more than 20 years.
Alright, time to revisit another artist that I didn't care for. I wasn't huge on my first Missy Elliott album, Supa Dupa Fly, but I tried my best to go into Under Construction with as open of a mind as possible, because I'm not a dismissive person. How did that turn out for me? I think it turned out okay! I think I enjoyed this album more than the other one! Not a ton more, mind you. I still don't love this per se, but I think I get the appeal of an artist like Missy Elliott a lot more with this album. I can kind of hear what people mean when they say that Missy Elliott's music sounded like nothing else at the time of release. There's a decent amount of variety on this album and I respect the hell out of that. Granted, there are some things that repeat a lot throughout the album. Did I really need to be reminded at the start of every single song that I was listening to a Missy Elliott Exclusive? I don't know, but what I do know is that some of these songs are quite good. "Work It" was easily the biggest hit from this album, and it's pretty fun. It's got a quirky beat and a nice theme of feminine sexual empowerment. Good song. "Gossip Folks" was also a hit and it's fun too. The production on this album is quite unique, I'll give the album that. The features are all good. I liked the tribute to Aaliyah at the end of the album. This album's not amazing or anything, but I respect it. The album may be a bit long for my liking and some parts of the album haven't aged the best, but I can see a good vision behind this album. It's not bad. 3/5.
This sounds exactly like what I expected a club would sound like in 2002. Nothing wrong with it but not my thing.
I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I expected as I really wasn’t a fan of the other Missy Elliott album on the list. That said, I could have done without the talking parts or the remix at the end. Overall, I didn’t hate this, but I’m not going to be returning to it.
Missy one of the best to ever do it, but this is a pretty standard album from her. Not a bad thing by any stretch because there's a lot of great songs but it didn't hit as hard as I would've liked. Work It remains an all time banger.
Fun girly pop. Some really hot for me, some are definitely background music. Overall, fun enough :)
Yeah- the thing is I realized I never really listened to early female hip hop artists. Not one. I did listen to Public Enemy and Tribe, OutKast, De la Soul, Wu Tang- well the list goes on- and on. But not one lady among them. I remember when Missy Elliott hit. I avoided her like… well something you’d be ashamed of catching. The thing is, I AM a lady. Shouldn’t she be speaking to me? So I was glad for the opportunity to give her a listen. And it was better than the worst case scenario. But… yeah, she’s not speaking to me. But I do respect her. For going out there doing her thing in a man’s man’s man’s world. Will I ever listen again? No, don’t think so. 3 for effort. Wish she didn’t have speaking interludes. Boolean: yes, I suppose it was good to have listened to this before I die.
Emotionally and technically great.
I guess it's pretty good but not one of my go to's Will I listen to again: 7%
I didn't hate this but I didn't really like it. It's cool that she is so weird and quirky and somehow found her way into the 'mainstream' - she like invented a new type of pop music. For some reason I always associate this with girls - like every girl I met loved this stuff and every guy seems to not really care? maybe I've got weird friends? lol
Got some fun beats
Some bangers, some filler
6/10
3.5/5
I wonder if any of these songs are Missy Elliott exclusives...
Не люблю бабский реп
Not really my thing, but it was a pretty entertaining listen. It's clear that Missy Elliott lives at the top of her field and that she's a master of her craft.
lots of missy elliott exclusives - a high 3
I'm a simple person: when I listen to a song sometimes I read lyrics, but I don't get too caught up in them. Music is my priority, and since hip-hop is not about it, the most important thing in a genre for me is a pumping beat. On Missy Elliott's fourth and most popular album, it pumps. The rhythm is varied, with a strong old-school influence sometimes, all the guests are in their right places and don't make the tracks worse (even Beyoncé). Timbaland's (who was the main producer of the album) signature pulsating sound is also present here. Returning to the lyrical theme, the 2010s are still a long way off, and most female rap hasn't yet devolved into pornographic fan fiction, so there are only two more or less obscene songs here, the lyrics mostly about women's plight. Well, considering the realities of Virginia's black neighborhoods. It's a decent album, not boring, kinda listenable. Compared to modern efforts in the genre, it's actually excellent.
Bävade inför, tänkte att det skulle kännas 50 cent-daterat. Men visade sig ju va riktigt groovigt och smakfullare, funkigare och souligare beats än vad jag trodde. Bra samarbeten som inte känns skivbolagspådyvlade. Älskar method man. De där jävla ”tjena hoppas ni gillade det här, och rip alla som dött”-skitsen är ju ändå otroligt charmiga. Stark 3a det här.
Now that I've heard this album, I have no idea why we also got her debut "Supa Dupa Fly" in this collection. This is definitely a better and more inspired album, in every facet, although (just like her debut) far longer than it needed to be. I liked her and Timbaland's focus on paying tribute to old-school hip-hop, as well as their combined ability to make most of the tracks sound like her own and not just retro ("Funky fresh dressed" might have gone a little too far in the retro direction, though). The first half is particularly strong--especially the trio of "Gossip folks", "Work it" (plus the remix version) and "Back in the day"--but there are other good tracks sprinkled in too (e.g. "Slide"). I can see why this became her most successful album. (And funny to hear Epstein acolytes Bill Clinton and Donald Trump called/dissed out in the "Intro" from way back in 2002....)
I enjoyed this fun album! After a while the songs all start to sound the same though.
Work It is nostalgic at least. As are the features.
The intro mentioning Donald Trump is crazy because I forgot people didn’t know he was a fascist back then. She got bars. The beats are soooo 2000s it’s pretty awesome.
Not for me unfortunately :/
Not bad. A lot of interesting production which is no surprise. The best songs have guests.
Love missy. Lot of filler on this album
It’s super cool that there’s good female rap. I’ll be coming back. 6/10
Solid, but I’m not knowledgeable enough on hip-hop to properly review this album. I’m rating it a 3 based on merit (though it does get repetitive near the end of the album). What I can also say is that I like it more than what’s out there presently. Hip-hop seems so deconstructed these days.
2.6 2x not horrible but not my thing
I enjoyed this. It's got those classic Missy beats, the lyrics are fun, if a bit guilty pleasure-y. But it doesn't blow my mind or anything. It's missing that spark, that je ne sais quoi. It's like watching a firework fizzle out just before the big bang. Feels very early 2000s, but not quite the best of the early 2000s. Solid 3/5. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Bring the Pain - Gossip Folks - Work It
I don't think I would call this "essential" like a couple of her other albums, but it's still Missy at the top of her game and "Work It" is pretty damned essential. Loved the UTFO samples in "Funky Fresh Dressed." I would give this a 3.9 - close to 4 but not quite for me.
Fine for what it is - mid 00s hip hop, somewhat forgettable
huh nice 3.5/5
Not my cup of tea, but hip-hop wise not bad
Respect for putting this album on this list. I only knew Work it before listening to the whole album, and preferred the first half to the second, but it empowers you, gives you confidence and makes you want to move. Creds to Missy Elliott, she is a key face in hip hop
I like a lot of this a good deal but it is simply too inconsistent (on first listen at least IN MY EYES) to be truly great. But Timbaland and Missy both have some excellent material on this.
no sabía que conocía work it. tiene varios bops, por momentos noté la influencia que tuvo en la música de doechii, pero not really my style.
Pretty fun but lacks much depth. Almost sickly 2000s sounds.
Enjoyable
Sounding like a broken record saying this but i’m still not a rap guy, however credit where it’s due, some songs were pretty catchy and most beats were very solid and easy to headbob to. My standout is Bring the Pain.
This is what empowerment was in the 2000s
This album was pretty enjoyable. It was fun, and I liked a lot of the beats on this one. Not skit heavy either, which I appreciated. However, I wouldn't say there was much about it that stood out to me. Outside of being entertaining, the songs are mostly just alright. Not super memorable. There are a few though I'd definitely give a listen again. The TLC collab was especially great. A truly gorgeous tribute to Aaliyah and Left Eye.
Lmao, right off the bat we got a lyric that aged like rotten milk: "You don't see Bill Gates and Donald Trump arguing with each other, 'cause both of them got paper and they got better shit to do". This was 2002, so guarantee that 'better shit' was raping children on the island. Obviously can't fault Missy for not knowing what was to come, but still... yikes. Putting that aside, it's a solid rap record -- the beats are tight and Missy has great flow. Lovely little tribute to Aaliyah, Biggie and Tupac at the end.
Good stuff
not my style... but Work it sound a lot back in the day
Expected the other album from Missy but this one is great too
This is an all star game in LP format. Some tracks are undeniably fire and others disappear from memory once they’re done. All are of the same quality, it’s just that some hooks rise above the ether and cross genres, while others are good for the moment.
A very important and fun hiphop album, there are so many quoteable and culturally important bits in here. I think its a pretty samey album as well, but its still very fun. Bes track: Work It
I’m not sure this was missy’s best album but she was trying to get some feeling off. Interesting mix
THIS??????? top 1000???????????? I mean it's not bad and all... but come on
You do not need to tell me who made the song each time, ma'am, I can read the title and cover. Otherwise, this over sexualization of women as heard in the album may have done more against women then for it. Timbaland goes off in the studio though. Musically this is great, content wise...eh. 7/10
Work it is fun
I could do without the verbal explainer interludes that feel a bit dated and take me out of the music. The beats/samples were fun and retro, just didn’t the same as her first album for me.
Never listened. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Good - OK a few tracks in and I really like it. Some cool beats and vocals. Jay-Z's appearance is a highlight as expected. It peters out a little towards the end but this is a really good album.
Twas alright. Work It and one of the others towards the end stood out, and it was a highly polished production, but lacked a bit of the gritty side that I like from my hip hop albums.
not really my genre but honestly enjoyed this more than i thought i would that said - pussycat was terrible, plz beyonce you can still go to the club with your friends even though you love your man, and if i hear 'this is a missy elliott exclusive' one more time i think i'll have a breakdown
I respect Missy Elliott very much, but don't really vibe with her music
This is a Missy Elliott exclusive
Not my genre at all but not objectionable at all. Just kind of eh album. I almost took away a star for all of the skits/talking.
Some bangers early on but petered out
Didn't mind it.
Not bad rap. But too explicit.
Not my usual genre but I can appreciate Missy as a female rapper. And Work It is always a good time.
this was FUN!
Gotta love early 2000s rap at least a little. Lots of impressive features on this album. Well produced. Lyrics are pretty corny but it gets points for the laughs lol. Can’t say I considered many tracks bangers.
Some decent bars on here.
A slight improvement over Missy's other albums. Favorite track: Bring The Pain
Sometimes I wish I couldn’t see the reviews. Good lord some of them are trash and clear that the 1/5 was decided prior to even listening.
Donald Trump jump scare
I don't need the thematic explanation...either do it with the music or don't do it. Timbaland hit his apex working with Missy. A lot of guest spots on this album, not complaining. Method Man, Ludacris and Jay-Z is a pretty strong late 90s lineup of MCs. Work It has always been one of my least favorite rap songs that was a hit, the backwards talking is dumb. Rappers love to do the retrospective hip hop shout out song. Back in the Day is not my favorite one though. Hearing Pussycat for the first time is when Nicki Minaj, Cardi B and Meghan Thee Stallion realized what they wanted to do with their lives. This album is not bad. The song with Beyonce is a highlight. The number of times she says "This is another Missy Elliott exclusive" makes DJ Khaled seem restrained. The back half of the album is the better half. The exclusive thing is super annoying. The sad song about Aaliyah and Left Eye is corny as hell. Nice little chat at the very end, CDs were super stupid.
Has this album aged perfectly probably not but it’s set the groundwork for what we have today most definitely and definitely earned it spot on this list. It grew on me as I listened to. It could definitely see this being discussed in like a history of rock ‘n’ roll or history of music class don’t know how much I will return to this album but good job Missy Elliott. I could tell that you were very passionate about this album.
Hyvät taustabiitit kyllä. Ehkä parempi kuin odotin. 3/5.
Enjoyed this one a lot more than expected
Not bad.
Work It
Although she's a fine singer, I prefer the rap tracks on here to the sung ones. It's also a little too long, though I did enjoy it.
This grew on me over the course of the album. I liked a handful of songs. It didn't click as much as some other similar artists from the time, but overall I liked it just fine.
75.
I always enjoyed work it. This album was a good consistent vibe, I think I liked the debut better but if I’m on the mood for this era this is enjoyable. I wouldn’t rush back to it though
Girl did you just mention Epstein buddies Bill Gates and Donald Trump in the same sentence
Det her e greit. Æ blir ikke engasjert, men det e fengende. Tenke at hvis æ hadde et vors med veldig variert musikksmak blandt gjestan, kunne æ satt på det her.
Some tracks have a nice pop-feel, but sometimes her raps are more than a bit silly. Perhaps "silliness" is the point, but ultimately it didn't appeal to me.
Nice
This was fine, not exceptional. ‘Work It’ is the hit here, but the rest of the album just didn’t hold my attention very well. 2.5/5
Adding to the list of albums to return to later
Really good Skits done for the right reasons Enjoyable
Cool. New listen…
This was pretty good I enjoyed the themes of grief and loss but I can’t really see myself revisiting it
I enjoyed the beats/ production and Work It is a banger. I generally enjoyed the lyrics but don't really like Missy's delivery - and thought telling that I preferred nearly all of the guest vocalists.
I didn’t want to listen to this album as I’m not a hip hop fan from this era. However it was very approachable and musical. There are some really good tracks on here.
I'm not a big rap fan. But, she has a great voice, and there are some really good beats on this album.
I've heard her hit singles, but never listened to a full album before. This was more solid than I was expecting. 3/5.
3.5 i love it
Missy is a queen. While I didn’t necessarily love this album, I can’t deny that. The beats are great. I had a fun time with it, but it wasn’t really for me. 3.5/5
I expected to like this album a little more than I did. It turned out to be one of those albums that actually irritated me. It wasn't so much the music as the repeated assertions that "this is yet another Missy Elliott exclusive", which added nothing to the quality of the entertainment and appears completely unecessary. The production was nice and everything, but none of the tunes really stood out for me, and the shock novelty of all those sexual references got tired many years ago. So all in all, it was just alright for me, bitch.
Pleasantly surprised by this album. I didn't formally Like any of the songs but the whole thing has a nice smooth hip hop sound.
Not for me. I don't think its bad, in fact I can see the appeal. It's just not my cup of tea
I never really got into Missy Elliot for some reason. Looking back now though, I loved every single she put out and I’m a huge fan of Timbaland as a producer and a rapper. So, when Under Construction came up as my album, I had no idea where this was in her catalog. Missy Elliot seemed to come out of nowhere. She was dressed in a blown-up trash bag, and Timbaland was giving her the best beats in hip-hop. Under Construction was her fourth album in 5 years. That seems like a lot, especially for someone who seemed to be as hot as she was with hit after hit. It’s not surprising to see that she put out another album in 2003 and one in 2005, and that was it for her. Why is it that when hip-hoppers become huge and make millions upon millions of dollars, they tend to retire or at least semi-retire? Is it because it’s hard to write about the streets when you’re living in penthouses and driving Bentleys? I know plenty of rock bands who don’t make it out of their superstar stage because money, fame, and hangers on changes you. It has to. Only the strongest survive superstardom, the Stones, Metallica, and U2. It’s hard to transition from an angry young person to a fat, rich, and happy person. Now, Missy Elliot never came off as angry, and most of her songs to me sounded kind of like nonsense. It’s easy to keep nonsense alive forever, look at Weird Al. Under Construction sounds great. There are great beats, and Elliot has always been a great rapper. She has a very unique voice. Work It, the first single, is a monster. It’s one of those songs that will be played 100 years from now. The next single was Gossip Folks, which is about all the intrigue and rumors that swirled around Elliot for some reason. Was she gay? Was she straight? Why do we care? She was a heavyset woman who then lost a bunch of weight, so there was gossip about that. Ludacris is on this song and really takes it to another level. Ludacris is another hip-hopper I just never got into, but every song of his is a banger. He also got huge, then quit rapping. Gossip Folks also recognized the passing of Elliot’s friends, Aaliyah, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Jam Master Jay. All died within a 15 month perieod of time, Aaliyah and Lopes both in plane crashes. Weird. If that happened today, I’m sure 90% of the population would believe the government was involved. The third single was Back in the Day featuring Jay Z. Funnily enough, it wasn’t a huge hit. The song was about the good old days of hip-hop, and like The Day the Music Died the lyrics refereced a ton of old school rappers. Missy shows off her singing skills in this one. Jay-Z, another who got huge, then quit rapping. The rest of the album is good, but I’m not a hip-hop connoisseur, so I can’t speak to this album being any better than another hip-hop album. I’ll just say, beyond the singles, none of the songs made me stop and just listen. So, is it a must-listen? For me, no, but those who love hip-hop or are getting into hip-hop from the past, this is a good one to check out.
Better than her other album.
It’s alright, expected it to be somewhat worse
Yeah decent
Didn’t have problems with any of the songs but not very memorable.
Go Missy! Wasn't expecting to like this, but I did. Didn't love it, but appreciated the vibe, and enjoyed the collaborations...most of them...
Loving the vibe but could do without the chat between tracks. Some excellent guests and classic references.
There is so much to love on Under Construction. Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliot brings you some of the biggest hits of the early 2000's in "Gossip Folks" and "Work It", and a stacked cast of the biggest names in black music; Method Man, Ludacris, Jay-Z, and Beyonce all make appearances! With production by Timbaland, Under Construction makes it's ambitions clear. However the album is pretty front loaded. All the hits with the best production and best guests sit up front, and all of the strained efforts sit in the back. And try as one might to love Missy's offerings and takes, I just wasn't impressed. I wanted to like them more because I like *her*. 3 "misdemeanor exclusives"/5
I don't think I'd ever knowingly heard a Missy Elliott song before today, even though I'd totally heard of her before and the chorus of "Work It" is something I've seen referenced before. I really liked that one and the way she made those reversed vocals sound natural instead of off-kilter like in psychedelic rock! Also really liked "Nothing Out There For Me" and how she got those spoken vocals through a phone to fit in just perfectly. The rest was a nice enough listen (if a bit unmemorable for me), though the spoken interludes kinda broke it up a bit too much (even if I get what she was going for with them). I thought the occasional "this is a Missy Elliott exclusive" intros were fun though!
I can't handle Timbaland's bullshit. Missy's good, and Work It is filthy in a pretty classic way, but mostly I just get tired. The features are very early 2000s but I don't think their verses are any good, which kind of sucks. Anyway, party music for a certain kind of party but not much else. Also, Back in the Day is corny as shit.
A mix of rap, gospel and hip hop. There is a 90s vibe to the whole album that I love because that is when I grew up. This is definitely Missy Elliot's call for an end to the violence that dominated the hip hop scene in the 90s. Its also a heartfelt remembrance of friends and colleagues of Missy's that have gone before their time. I also really like that this is almost as vulgar as Snoop Dogg's doggy style. But unlike Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliot feels that she has to explain why she is being as vulgar. The more thing change the more they seem to stay the same.
mjoah, ganz okay. Find es gut das weibliche Rapper hier auf der Liste sind, aber das Album hat mich nicht mitgezogen
2-3 Lieder: bring the pain, work it, und, back in the day. aber auch paar schwache Lieder dabei, daher auch nur 3.
Besser als erwartet. Ich hab aber auch nicht viel erwartet.
I like the hip-hop on this. It's safe and unchallenging but it has a fun vibe which is refreshing. The R&B on here though is just tough to sit through. Typical of this era I find it sterile and over-produced.
cool, but dated. could do without the narration
If every tracks not “another missy elliot exclusive” it may have scored higher
At least a bit better than Supa Dupa Fly, I'd say, though still filled with many of the same problems from that album. Timbaland is still on production duty here, and while the beats are a bit more noteworthy, harkening back to many older hip hop standards and styles, it still gave the album this dragging feeling that I couldn't shake. There are some hard moments here still. I really like the original, so the new version of 'Bring The Pain' featuring Method Man worked for me, though I wish it were a bit more transformative on the beat; it just reuses that classic loop without really altering it. 'Gossip Folks' is maybe the hardest beat here, and Ludacris definitely delivers on his verse. But 'Work It' is maybe the most noteworthy song here, just an absolute classic with such an infectious flow from Elliott herself. The sort of clunky and dirty guitar beat on 'Slide' was also pretty sick, and the song also features another smooth delivery from Missy Elliott in her more traditional style. And 'Can You Hear Me' was a pretty heartfelt way to end the album, a tribute to both Aaliyah and Left Eye (alongside other important lost figures in hip hop) featuring TLC themselves. And given this period in hip hop was filled with so much loss, the final spoken word portion felt super poignant and necessary. Ultimately, I enjoyed this as much as I did Supa Dupa Fly. Some incredible moments here and there, but ultimately a bit too bloated and long for my liking.
This is fun but messy. She should call herself Messy Elliott probably.
#806. I feel like this is another you had to be there albums. Its just not as interesting to me listening to it for the first time decades later for whichever reason. 3/5: fine
3 not very exciting
Overall: 6/10 Missy Elliott is a great lyricist with a good flow, but the real MVP for me is Timbaland and his great production. Sadly, much like a lot of Timbaland's other projects, I found it a little lackluster and not very memorable. Missy has a lot of charisma though, which makes it a fun listen. Fav Song: Work It
★★★½
Eh. Not great but idc.
Not bad. She had some good songs
Memorable bars & crazy beats! Bringing anyone to their feet.
The combination of Missy Elliott and Timbaland is such a time in popular hip hop. When they nail it, it still sounds great. The singles do shine bright here, but there's still some cool beats throughout.
Fav: Slide Least Fav: Gossip Folks (Feat. Ludacris)
Found the commentary unnecessary, would have fit better in a deluxe version of the album. Intro did not age well. But also the commentary was kind of stupid, like why feel like you need to defend your music like that. Album was ok, stronger in the beginning and too much filler in the second half.
After getting several rap albums in the last few weeks, I’m coming to the conclusion that they don’t age terribly well. This particular one, though, is pretty good. Missy Elliott is clearly a strong personality and the backing music for these tracks is more interesting than on most rap albums.
I liked this album better than her earlier one that's on this list. This is fine, but it's probably not something I'll listen to again.
Alright flow and beats. Beats were more chill and left a lot of focus on lyrics. Not the kind of music I like. Work it is absolute classic and probably the most memorable song to me.
318/1089 - Went in one ear and out the other. Only thing I remember is "This is a Missy Elliot exculsive" at the beginning of every other song and some beat references to Beastie Boys and Run DMC. The last song seemed cool and had some Neo Soul influence. Guess I remember more than I thought I did.
Lots of spoken parts to this one, for better and for worse. Missy Elliott was sharing an interesting message and some apt commentary, but the album was drawn out. Some decent rhythm and flow but just generally not our vibe.
While I appreciate the artistry of this album, nothing from it stood out as something I loved. 3/5
Cool.
Idk its ok, beats are quite good, I like quite a lot of the samples, but I just think quite a lot of them are quite empty, and a bit repetitive. She's a good rapper and and also a good singer. Its obviously good to have someone from another perspective in such a male-dominated genre (especially at the time). Features are good, didn't expect to hear Method Man, she's definitely very good at integrating the features into the songs, where it feels truly more like a collaboration subject-wise, rather than just a feature stuck onto the end of a song. Not too much else to say. Favourite songs: bring the pain, nothing out there for me, play that beat. Overall around 6/10
One thing you can say about Missy Elliott is her albums are fun, Timbaland production is tight as hell and undeniably of it's time, but Missy's raps are just so off the wall surreal one minute then super serious the next... It keeps you on your toes. "Work It" remains a timeless banger though
Fine
- Defied the BDS movement (in 2010) and hasn’t spoken about the genocide since, so likely a Zio. I don’t fuck with Zios. - Too bad because the music is fun, and I love seeing women on this list.
Pleasently surprised by this one. I had a rash of early 00s hip-hop in this project that just did not age well. It's definitely old-school, but it felt fresh. Great flow, collaborators on point and worked well with their tracks, and diverse enough beats to keep you entertained mostly throughout. Really well produced. Only real gripe was her speaking to the listener bits only work the first time you hear the album. Beyond that, nobody wants to hear that more than once. Overall, I dug it. Does it warrant 4 stars? Not for me. I probably won't be bringing this back anytime soon, but I'm glad I listened. 3.5 out of 5
soul hiphop!
Ok. Medio denso
I had low expectations, as the genre isn't always for me. She can rap, sing well enough, some great beats, and Work It and Ain't That Funny are great. Not quite a 4, but a really solid 3. Pussycat was gross though.
Wasn't looking forward to listening to this, but it wasn't bad actually. She can definitely rap, and the skits weren't too bad. Maybe a bit too RnB/pop like for me Knew the hits and the stuff about the dead compatriots felt genuine. 3, pleasantly surprised but still not quite for me. I also listened while waiting in an airport after my flight had been cancelled so maybe not a fair review.....
Fun album. Missy Elliot brings it hard.
Missy puts in a great performance here. Her lyrics are funny, smart, and have a good balance of shit talking and meaningful moments. The spoken passages can get a bit long, but all the talk about wanting to make an old school rap album that stands up for women and the original spirit of hip hop is backed up by the fact that she did just that. Timblaland's beats are good but maybe a little sparse in places. "Work It" is of course a classic it how it manages to be both very weird and inviting. I wish there was more of that overt weirdness here because outside of some ear catching lyrics it doesn't have much else that makes it unique. And the sparser beats means there are no songs on the level of "Work It," though a few are very close (the tracks with Jay-Z and Ms Jade perhaps come closest). Definitely worth a listen though not quite a classic despite how great Missy is here.
Not her best, but still great
It has several bangers.
Always find these ones difficult to review. It’s a good album because of talented vocalists, slick production and nails exactly what it set out to do, but boy oh boy this is not for me
Solid album, but not something I’m itching to listen to again. I enjoyed hearing Missy talk about her album and her philosophy of hip hop though.
Solid album, great beats, fun vocals. I'd listen to her other works.
Interessant. Nicht so meine Musik, aber ich mag das Konzept und ist schon eingängig. Gaststars sind auch super. 3 1/2.
I enjoyed it more than I thought. Gossip Folks catch AF. good production that holds up.
Well, that intro didn't age well. The lyrics have me laughing. Halfsies in a baby? I don't know how I'd react to that question. When every song is an exclusive you can't go wrong. I wish Pussy Don't Fail Me Now was less depressing when you listen to all the lyrics. Missy you don't gotta be depress like that! What a chorus though!
It's good, Missy has a lot of aura and it's a great Timbaland showcase, easy to listen to, but it feels... insubstantial, I guess.
If I had to pick an artist to describe “rizz,” it’s probably Missy. “Work It” feels like the anthem of high school to me.
A solid album, Missy has a ton of charisma and the production is fantastic. There are a couple really excellent tracks and lots of great guests but many of the album's ideas are over used and Missy never totally warms up on any of her raps. It's still a fun listen and the cover is great, that's a 4/5.
Some sounds are super dated, but the hits and features are really fun to bump honestly. It’s a shame a lot of people seem to be pretty close-minded when it comes to this album, though.
The producers did a good job with the beats.
Jeg ser at det er mange kvaliteter her, og jeg liker godt flere av låtene. Blant annet "Back in the day" og "Play that beat". Men et helt album var ikke noe for meg.
The intro didn’t age well, otherwise still slapped
Good but not as good as her first album.
there was one line about donald trump that aged pretty badly
another missy elliott album? one was enough for me
Would love to give this a 3.5; I've listened to a lot of hip hop and this was a nice treat.
My overall take from this is that it felt altogether too long. But for what it is, Missy can throw down, especially with support. Work It is the obvious and all time jam of a standout that is made entirely by the infectious Timbaland beat. Otherwise, Gossip Folks feels like it was tailor made for the Luda feature. And I have to say, while his solo records leave something to be desired, he always shows up on a feature. Back in the Day brings in a lazy first Jay feature, but his second showing followed by Missy makes it all worthwhile. Bring the Pain is fine enough with good flowing from Missy and Method. I will say Funky Fresh Dressed has fine flow, but some questionable lyrical choices. Same can be said for Pussycat. Slide through Hot are all fun tracks through the close, though the strength often comes from the instrumental IMO. I enjoyed this, but as I said it runs a bit long and has some soft spots. Runs along the low side of a 3 / 4 border.
Pretty much exactly what I expected out of a 2000s hip hop album. Maybe expected a bit more from Missy, but this is about as 3 as a 3 can be.
Теперь я совсем потерялся, в чем развитие и крутость условных Ники Минаж, Карди Би, или Айс Спайс, читающих про сексуальную либерацию и все такое, когда Мисси Эллиотт делала все эти вещи двадцать с лишним лет назад гораздо увереннее в гораздо менее располагающем для этого мире. Лучшая песня - Work It.
The fat laced nike dunks on the album cover bring me straight back to highschool. I haven't ever listened to this whole album, but it's a great time capsule for where hip hop was at the time. I appreciate Missy's lyrics and her flow, and the underlying beats are equally compelling (thanks, Timbaland). There are a lot of fun cameos on this record, and an equal amount of interlude skits to ruin the flow of the album. Overall, a fun listen but not one I'll probably spend much time with again.
Decent attitude and flow but it isn't really my style. I feel that this is exactly what she wanted to make and I can respect that.
I wanted to like this Missy Elliot album more than I do. A couple of good songs. The singles. Timbaland making some fun beats. A few too many tracks where the lyrics aren't great or are just being jammed in without really clicking with the beat. Too many little speeches one would be fine and If you want a message in a song make sure it serves the music.
I enjoyed this more than I expected to based on the artist and genre. It was a fun listen, even with some awkward topics and occasionally cringey lyrics. It was easy to bop along to it as it played, which was probably its best quality for me. My negatives stem mostly from the norms of hip hop rather than being specific to the album. As is common, the music is beat heavy and exists to support the raps, meaning it's often unmemorable in the song. That wasn't as bad for me here as it can be, and I thought the second half of the album had stronger music than the front half for whatever reason. It can be a problem if the raps themselves aren't up to snuff, though, since that means there's really nothing there to save the song. Other than that, my main complaints come from the lyrics being inane and obnoxious at times. Focusing on the album itself, I thought it suffered from the narration breaks as they made the album feel longer than it needed to. Despite those issues, I still had a good time listening. There were some really enjoyable songs on here. Even if there were some cringe-worthy lyrical moments, it didn't make me want to turn it off. As a whole, I'd say it was a solidly good listen. Overall: 3.4/5
A really good album. I listened to it a lot when it was released.
Hilariously suggesting that we don’t see Donald Trump arguing with people because he’s got money, Missy suggests that we all need to stop having beef and just get on with getting rich. And having sex.
7/10
A little tough but she’s a great lyricist.
Missy's love letter to old-school hip-hop. It was a joy to experience and explore this album as a time capsule and cross-section of what was happening at the time. Gangster rap was the main lane, being hardcore was the only game, and Missy reintroduced playfulness as a viable path to music production. Her collaboration with Timbaland was on point and the beats, grooves, and lyrics are all fresh, but what stands out is her point of view. She takes time to honor the past, comment on the present, and propose a more inspiring future, all while evolving the art form beyond what it had been. Like many entries on this 1001 list, this record shaped many that came after it because it legitimized a different, less violent, more female-empowered way to approach lyricism and rap. I don't know how many times I'll spin it on a whim, but I'm glad to have encountered this one.
It’s ok. Some good beats. I am being picky about the presentation and can be very wrong about it; but quite often I can’t focus on the rapper because of some sharp percussive elements, or the synths competing with the voice. if someone can EQ it, it will be much better? Music wise, it doesn’t breathes dynamically like some really good rap albums we have had so far. Some tracks are just looping and they don’t contribute much. It’s more like “hey look I’m just chilling here I’m so cool” instead of expressing anything informative. Overall it’s an enjoyable listen. But yet not a 4 for me.
Love some early 2000s beats, and there are a ton of really fun features from legends of hip hop. I think Work It is enough to bump this album to a three, but I don’t need the bookended “I hope you like this album but I don’t actually care if you do or not” skits.
We have our number one quote that aged like milk "You don't see Bill Gates and Donald Trump arguing with each other because they both got paper".
lol, as this is starting, I realize she sounds just like a girl version of P Diddy. Same accent, same inflection, same vernacular. It’s kinda funny. I think she’s far more talented than he is, but she sounds a lot like him…except without all the raping. I’m actually enjoying this quite a bit, which I didn’t expect. I remember “Work It” being a big deal back in the day, but I never paid much attention. I’m glad it cropped up here and I’m getting the chance to pay more attention now. The beats are interesting and inventive, the features are great, her charisma is pretty infectious. She fills a lot of audio space, but it doesn’t feel overwhelming. Overall, I’ve enjoyed my time with this one and might circle back from time to time. The record does peter out a little bit toward the middle-end, but overall, it's a pretty strong effort by Missy. 3.8/5
77% Best: Bring the Pain; Back in the Day; Play That Beat Must-Hear? Not quite
Never listened to, not being a Hip Hop fan - but was OK.
Bon rap debut 2000!
Hip-hop is not my thing but I have an open mind and have given some albums a 5* rating. Not this one, even though I see it is well made. I just find it not that enjoyable musically, and lyrically even less so. For me, hip-hip is a lot about lyrics so when it's too much of the same boring language (n!ggas, pussies, etc.) the whole time, I feel they need to do better. Some songs have catchy hooks and overall the album sounds good (technically). She can sing (and rap) and has some creative ideas, sound-wise. As an influential female rapper this deserves a place on the list.
Vraiment pas mauvais, quelques bonnes tounes, mais l’ensemble n’est pas pour moi.
I was going to give it a 4, but I hated the talking interludes.
So, HipHop/Rap isn't a genre I keep track of, and I really don't listen to it much. On my first listen of Under Construction, I really didn't care for it. But I paid a bit more attention the second time through, and was pleasantly surprised. The collaboration tracks are solid, and Missy does a good job of injecting a smoother nature to some of the beats that I don't find as aggressive as other albums in the genre. Glad I gave it second listen.
3.5/5
Well Missy, has hip hop really changed? 🤔
#NeverForget
3/5. I think Missy has a lot of good intentions and themes throughout her album but I lose some sincerity the longer the album goes on. It has some quality songs and even the provocative songs have heart. It almost rides that line of popular and progressive but it misses the mark a few times. The features are great but the production is lacking as well, kind of feels like it was just a phone in from them. I think with just some selections throughout the album, this could be a really powerful and meaningful record while still keeping Missy's personality in each one. Instead, this an okay album with some skips and some great tracks sporadically placed. I also think the explaining of the album and process does feel disingenuine as well, as the work should speak for itself. Best Song: Work It, Back In The Day, Can You Hear Me
Good, fun listen. Probably would not have listened to this album unless organically lol
Nothing mind-blowing, but fun, solid, and with a few bangers. Missy can spit, man. Favorite track: Slide Least favorite: Pussycat
Really enjoyed it but only a few songs stuck out so would be more likely to go back and listen to those singles than the whole album again
A classic. Missy was a pioneer of her era rebelling against a male dominated genre with unapologetically raunchy lyrics. Defiantly standing on business while putting out hits and letting you know exactly how she feels
This isn't my thing, but Missy is great and there's some good stuff here.