Missy Elliott – Under Construction

Few musical genres have the level of deep-seated appreciation for its forefathers (and mothers) like rap and hip hop. And Missy Elliott’s 2002 album, “Under Construction” is a wonderful homage to “the good old days” when it was about “British Knights and gold chains,” as Elliott raps on “Back in the Day.” But for all the looking back, this was also an album where Elliott continued to put her stamp on music. While the single “Work It” continues to be one of the Virginia-born Elliott’s biggest and best-known hits, the album itself remains an important one from the early 2000s. “Under Construction” was up for a Grammy for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album of the Year, and has sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S. alone. It also further established Elliott as one of the most important female artists of her generation.

You can listen to Under Construction by Missy Elliott on iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, YouTube, and Amazon, although it’s probably best on vinyl.