Missy Elliott fans here?
I am neither a R&B nor a rap fan, but I am just surprised Missy Elliott is not more widely admired in the popular culture, in Europe at least.
I quite liked Miss E "early for Europe"- I still recall a silver "Bibendum" suit video from early MTV I no longer can find, and even then admired her for being a "writer" in credits - because I did not think many women were. If only I had known she was a producer, too, eh!
I just now realised the one track i realy I liked in American radio waves back there - "1,2 Step" by Ciara was Missy E messed up, too!
Missy Elliott: timeless sound. I only wonder why she would be a lesser icon, than, say....
I quite liked Miss E "early for Europe"- I still recall a silver "Bibendum" suit video from early MTV I no longer can find, and even then admired her for being a "writer" in credits - because I did not think many women were. If only I had known she was a producer, too, eh!
I just now realised the one track i realy I liked in American radio waves back there - "1,2 Step" by Ciara was Missy E messed up, too!
Missy Elliott: timeless sound. I only wonder why she would be a lesser icon, than, say....
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But I don't mind, it just highlights you can get away with it, when with Madonna - a universally acknowledged "pop icon" - it would not float.
Or even take Justin Timberlake of dubious boy-band fame: he is viewed an R&B and pop icon in the making; both!
I accept Missy Elliott might have to take "hit" or "handicap" for somewhat non-mainstream musical style, but this does not make the cut in my eyes, objectively.
Miss E writes her own material, and for others of course; her sound is bold and timeless enough to make me listen to ... rap / R&B; and Missy E's dancing is this really original floaty style that has me jealous all out!
Besides, her music videos are cool and bold. And yuup, Miss E - she produces! It is hard for me to even express how impressed and inspired of that I was at that early MTV Europe era, as a teenie gal.
Here is that 1,2 Step - Missy literally jumps in 1:40+ or so, but it is overall a sweet song: "It don't matter to me, if we dance slow..." Feel and inclusiveness over dancing skill - yeah, i need that! :-)
I also really like "Lose Control" - as a Modesty Blaise fan I totally dig Missy's shared beduin assassin trick of emerging from sand, but I find it also a bit too much mainstream "hot" to be representative of Elliott's eclectic and freaky visual style.
I say this because my strong suspicion is that Elliott's and Madonna's difference in contemporal popularity is not only down to musical style, but Madonna owning the "easy does it" provocative sexy tag.
Minus the nubile dance-assassin sand emergence, Elliott generally lets her music and moves speak for her - she is not naked skin sexy. I think this was and maybe is her issue in getting mainstream popularity.
But those writing credits, those dance moves, those original videos - what is not both hot and admirable about that? I rejoice in assuming that Miss E is likely to get ascension in future appreciation, and she would do pretty fine right now, too.
Give or take.
Wanted to write that out before posting this, lest it be taken as unkind to men:
Story intro - musical intro and main theme - guest star rap Ludacris - musical main theme - guest star rap Eve - that beat change.
That beat change has me in shivers, so I must admit to feeling a bit disappointed there is no more Missy love here.
To me, true love is.
I just admire that rather than milking a single hook, Missy has such rich and complex composition - and I am always a fool for either syncopation or beat change!