Supa Dupa Fly

Supa Dupa Fly
Studio album by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
Released July 15, 1997 (1997-07-15)
Recorded 1996–1997
Studio Master Sound Studios
(Virginia Beach, Virginia)
Genre
Length 60:06
Label
Producer Timbaland[3]
Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott chronology
Supa Dupa Fly
(1997)		 Da Real World
(1999)Da Real World1999
Singles from Supa Dupa Fly
  1. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)"
    Released: July 2, 1997
  2. "Sock It 2 Me"
    Released: September 21, 1997
  3. "Beep Me 911"
    Released: March 23, 1998
  4. "Hit Em wit da Hee"
    Released: April 3, 1998

Supa Dupa Fly is the debut studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released July 15, 1997 on The Goldmind and Elektra Records. The album was recorded and produced solely by Timbaland in October 1996, and features the singles, "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", "Sock It 2 Me", "Hit Em wit da Hee" and "Beep Me 911". Guest appearances on the album include Busta Rhymes, Ginuwine, 702, Magoo, Da Brat, Lil' Kim, and Aaliyah.

The album received acclaim from critics, who praised Timbaland's futuristic production style and Elliott's performances and persona. It debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It sold 1.2 million copies in the United States, where it was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Background and recording

While in high school, Elliott formed a group called Fayze—later to be renamed Sista—with three of her friends.[4][5] The group attracted the attention of record producer DeVante Swing, who was part of the R&B group Jodeci. After being signed the Swing Mob record label, Sista recorded an album in New York, but the album was never released. This led to subsequent termination of Sista's recording contract. Elliott returned to Portsmouth, Virginia, where she and record producer Timbaland began writing songs and contributed to singer Aaliyah's album One in a Million. In 1996, Elliott was signed to Elektra Records and was given her own record label, The Goldmind Inc.. Chairmen and chief executive officer (CEO) of Elektra at the time, Sylvia Rhone encouraged Elliott to embark in a solo career.[4] Recording sessions of the Supa Dupa Fly took place at the Master Sound Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia.[6] The album was produced solely by Timbaland.[4]

The first single released from the album was "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)".[7] As part of the promotional drive for her album, Elliott took part of the 1998 Lilith Fair tour; she became the first female rapper to perform at the event.[8] She also joined rapper Jay-Z's Rock the Mic tour.[8]

Musical content

Supa Dupa Fly brings together elements of hip hop, dance, R&B, electronic music, and soul.[9][10] Music critic Garry Mulholland described Timbaland's production as "eschewing samples for a bump 'n' grind electronica, strongly influenced by the digital rhythms of dancehall reggae, but rounder, fuller, fatter".[11] AllMusic described it as consisting of “lean, digital grooves [...] packed with unpredictable arrangements and stuttering rhythms that often resemble slowed-down drum'n'bass breakbeats."[9] Elliott’s raps were described as “full of hilariously surreal free associations that fit the off-kilter sensibility of the music to a tee.”[9] According to author Mickey Hess, the album's lyrical content "reveals Elliott's complex, creative, and challenging discussion about womanhood; her demand for respect, respect for her personal voice and her desire for fulfilling intimacy with lovers and friends".[12] The album's opening track, "Busta's Intro", features rapper Busta Rhymes as a town crier warning of a "historical event about to unfold".[12] "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" contains a sample of Ann Peebles' 1973 song "I Can't Stand the Rain".[13] "Pass da Blunt" is partly based on the song "Pass the Dutchie" by Musical Youth.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
The Boston Phoenix[14]
Chicago Tribune[15]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[16]
The Guardian[17]
Los Angeles Times[18]
Rolling Stone[19]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[20]
Spin8/10[21]
The Village VoiceA−[22]

Upon its release, Supa Dupa Fly received acclaim among music critics. Writers lauded record producer Timbaland's production as unique and revolutionary. AllMusic called the album a “boundary-shattering postmodern masterpiece” whose “futuristic, nearly experimental style became the de facto sound of urban radio at the close of the millennium.”[9] Elliott's rapping, singing and songwriting also received much acclaim. The 2004 edition of The Rolling Stone Album Guide rated the album five out of five stars, noting that the avant-garde sound of the album "made Elliott and Timbaland the hottest writer/producer team around".[20] Mulholland called the album a "key prophecy of the dominant 21st century black pop", noting Elliott's ability to "avoid the whole east vs. west, playas vs. gangstas mess." He described Elliott's style as "everything the hip hop doctor ordered; a woman who could flip between aggression and romance, sex and nonsense, materialism and imagination, without batting one outrageously spidery eyelash".[11]

With the release of Supa Dupa Fly, Elliott became one of the most prominent female rappers.[23] The album is credited for redefining hip hop and R&B.[9] Steve Huey of AllMusic felt that the album was "arguably the most influential album ever released by a female hip-hop artist".[9] Spin magazine ranked the album at number nine on its Top 20 Albums of the Year.[12] In 1998, four out of five music critics from The New York Times ranked the album as one of their top ten favorite albums of 1997.[24] The album earned Elliott two Grammy Award nominations: Best Rap Album and Best Rap Solo Performance for "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)".[12]

Supa Dupa Fly debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 with 129,000 copies sold in the first week released,[25] the highest debut for a female rapper at the time.[8][26] The album remained on the chart for 37 weeks.[27] As of June 2008, the album sold 1.2 million copies in the United States[27] and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[28]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Timbaland.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Busta's Intro" (featuring Busta Rhymes)Trevor Smith1:53
2."Hit Em wit da Hee" (featuring Lil' Kim)
Melissa Elliott, Timothy Mosley, Kimberly Jones
4:19
3."Sock It 2 Me" (featuring Da Brat)
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley, William Hart, Thom Bell, Shawntae Harris
4:17
4."The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)"
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley, Ann Peebles, Bernard "Bernie" Miller, Don Bryant
4:11
5."Beep Me 911" (featuring 702 & Magoo)
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley, Melvin Barcliff
4:57
6."They Don't Wanna Fuck wit Me" (featuring Timbaland)
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley
3:18
7."Pass da Blunt" (featuring Timbaland)
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley, Jackie Mittoo, Lloyd Ferguson, Felix Headley Bennett, Huford Brown, Robbie Lyn, Leroy Sibbles, Fitzroy Simpson
3:17
8."Bite Our Style (Interlude)"
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley
0:43
9."Friendly Skies" (featuring Ginuwine)
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley
4:59
10."Best Friends" (featuring Aaliyah)
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley
4:07
11."Don't Be Commin' (In My Face)"
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley
4:11
12."Izzy Izzy Ahh"
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley
3:54
13."Why You Hurt Me"
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley, Eddie Floyd
4:31
14."I'm Talkin'"
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley
5:02
15."Gettaway" (featuring Space and Nicole)
Missy Elliott, Timothy Mosley, Tracey Selden, Lashone Siplin
4:25
16."Busta's Outro" (featuring Busta Rhymes)
Timothy Mosley, Trevor Smith, T'ziah wood-smith
1:38
17."Missy's Finale"Missy Elliott0:24

Personnel

Credits for Supa Dupa Fly adapted from AllMusic.[29]

Charts

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Dutch Albums Chart[30] 69
New Zealand Albums Chart[30] 49
US Billboard 200[31] 3
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[31] 1

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[33] Platinum 1,200,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "100 Best Debut Albums of All-Time". Rolling Stone. April 27, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  2. ↑ Complex. "The 50 Greatest Debut Albums in Hip Hop History". Complex Media. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott* - Supa Dupa Fly (CD, Album) at Discogs". Archived from the original on 2012-11-07. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Gaar, Gillian G. (2002). She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll. Seal Press. p. 463. ISBN 1-58005-078-6.
  5. ↑ Brown, Ethan (March 23, 2007). "Everyone Wants Timbaland". Entertainment Weekly. Time. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly CD Album". CD Universe. Muze. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  7. ↑ Farley, Christopher John; Cole, Patrick E.; Thigpen, David E. (September 1, 1997). "The New Video Wizards". Time. Time. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 Hess 2007, p. 508
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Huey, Steve. "Supa Dupa Fly – Missy Elliott". AllMusic. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  10. ↑ Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 362. ISBN 0-87930-653-X.
  11. 1 2 Mulholland, Garry (2006). Fear of Music: The 261 Greatest Albums Since Punk and Disco. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 0-7528-6831-4.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Hess 2007, p. 513
  13. ↑ "Billboard". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 112 (50): 56. December 9, 2000. ISSN 0006-2510.
  14. ↑ Soults, Franklin (October 20, 1997). "Missy Misdemeanor Elliott: Supa Dupa Fly (EastWest)". The Boston Phoenix. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Missy Misdemeanor Elliott: Supa Dupa Fly (EastWest)". Chicago Tribune. September 5, 1997. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  16. ↑ Diehl, Matt (August 8, 1997). "Supa Dupa Fly". Entertainment Weekly. Time. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  17. ↑ Odell, Michael (August 15, 1997). "Play Missy for me". The Guardian.
  18. ↑ Coker, Cheo Hodari (August 24, 1997). "Pop Music; In Brief; *** 1/2 Missy Elliott, 'Supa Dupa Fly,' EastWest Records". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  19. ↑ Jamison, Laura (September 4, 1997). "Missy Elliott: Supa Dupa Fly". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on May 10, 2006. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  20. 1 2 Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Missy Elliott". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 276. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  21. ↑ Bernstein, Jonathan (October 1997). "Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott: Supa Dupa Fly (EastWest/EEG)". Spin. 13 (7): 136. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  22. ↑ Christgau, Robert (March 3, 1998). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  23. ↑ Price, Emmett George (2006). Hip Hop Culture. ABC-CLIO. p. 300. ISBN 1-85109-867-4.
  24. ↑ Pareles, Jon (January 8, 1998). "The Pop Life; The Best of '97: Looking for the Future While Listening to the Past". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  25. ↑ "Got Charts? When First-Timers Debut Big — Ashanti, Tweet, Britney, Eminem & More". MTV. April 11, 2002.
  26. ↑ Hunter, Karen (July 28, 1997). "Missy to the Max How a Regular Homegirl Became Hip Hop's Freshest Princess". New York Daily News. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  27. 1 2 "Billboard". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 120 (24): 25. June 14, 2008. ISSN 0006-2510.
  28. ↑ "Gold & Platinum: Elliott, Missy". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  29. ↑ "Supa Dupa Fly – Missy Elliott (Credits)". AllMusic. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  30. 1 2 "Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly (Album)". Ultratop. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  31. 1 2 "Supa Dupa Fly - Missy Misdemeanor Elliott (1997)". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  32. ↑ "British album certifications – Missy Elliott – Supa Dupa Fly". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Supa Dupa Fly in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  33. ↑ "American album certifications – Missy Elliott – Supa Dupa Fly". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 

References

  • Hess, Mickey (2007). Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture, Volume 2. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33904-X.
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