Shiny & New Turns 2: #15 "Meltdown" - Missy Elliott

"If you don't cheat or sleep around / Ain't nothin' wrong wit tastin your magic stick / Bet it taste like candy / Made to melt in my mouth"

In 2008 I discovered about 6500 GB of new music that I had not previously heard. In this music was Missy Elliott’s The Cookbook. Up to that point, I’d only heard the Missy songs everyone knew – the classics; “One Minute Man”, “Get Your Freak On”, “Gossip Folks”. The Cookbook was like nothing I’d heard up to that point – consistently excellent hip hop, with a huge, clearly audible range of influences and intelligent, strong and feminist lyrics. And on my journey home from this date, I plugged my headphones in and “Meltdown” began – immediately I was overwhelmed by waves of extremely – there’s no other way of writing this, apols – sexy beats and Missy’s surprisingly gorgeous singing voice.

Beginning with open mockery of the past sexual partners who couldn’t work Missy’s ‘magic stick’, it soon turns into a beautiful admission of love and adoration for her current partner - “I think I’m in love like Beyonce be with Jigga” – interspersed with the various things which make her “pussy quiver”. The production is classic Scott Scorch – smooth, rich and warm – which provides an exciting dichotomy with Missy’s brash and confident rapping style, yet completely makes sense when she sings the chorus. This song entirely changed my view of Missy Elliott and what she does, leading me to diving into her entire back catalogue and experimenting with other female, strong, independent hip hop artists.