Missy Elliott, Miss E . . . So Addictive (WEA/Elektra) 9
In 1997 Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott changed the face of R&B by demonstrating that women don't have to sacrifice dignity and soul and sell their asses to the masses to achieve success. Elliott was sexy without baring flesh, incorporated futuristic beats that bordered on avant-garde, and dared to be weird. After a tepid 1999 follow-up (Da Real World), Elliott and her partner-in-rhythm science Timbaland are back in full force with another cyberfunk classic. Since his success with Supa Dupa Fly and Aaliyah, Timbaland has spread his talents thin. On ...So Addictive, he's refocused and refreshed his bag of rhythm tricks with his original partner. "Get Ur Freak On" is a revelation, with a spastic two-step rendition of Indian tablas. Missy raps in and out and against the stuttering rhythms -- world fusion and spare simplicity -- sounds like a hit to me. "Lick Shots" hits an irresistible dance groove with a minor-key James Brown guitar. "Scream a.k.a. Itchin'" and "4 My People" redefine club music in a unique blend that is not strictly hip-hop nor soul. As inventive as Timbaland's work is, what sets Elliott apart from the pack is her songwriting. After all, she's been making hits for other musicians since the early 90s. The emasculating "One Minute Man" and funky "Old School Joint" weigh in with more lyrical and tuneful substance than any of Elliott's competition and compadres (including guests Ginuwine, Lil' Mo, Jay-Z, Redman, Method Man, Ludacris, Da Brat and Eve) alike. Her ballads ("Take Away," "Step Off") don't quite measure up to those on Supa Dupa Fly. and the flow is interrupted by unwelcome throwaway rants from Busta Rhymes ("Bus-A-Bus Interlude") and . Other songs are charged by infectuous samples of Fela Kuti ("Whtacha Gon' Do") and Parliament ("X-Tasy"). The change from a stoned groove to a scattered frenzy perhaps reflects Elliott's change in her drug of choice. Whether she's paying homage to chemicals or god (in her hidden gospel tracks), Missy Elliott is in full command of the millenium's new mothership.
