It’s been 14 years since Missy Elliot’s last album release – 2005’s The Cookbook – and the wait was well worth it. Her new five-track EP, titled Iconology, reminds us that she’s still the HBIC and fully capable of whipping up fresh tracks at any given moment.
The opening track “Throw It Back” does exactly that, paying homage to the old school while still managing to sound relevant in the 2019 hip-hop landscape. It’s unmistakably Elliott and the strongest track on the EP. Pairing a tantalizing mid-tempo groove with her trademark lyrical genius, “Throw It Back” will catch you in its clever loop. The beat is almost serpentine, as it slithers over noteworthy verses and an undeniably catchy chorus. The song references her 2001 hit “Work It,” her old protégé rapper Tweet, and the MTV Video Music Awards. Clearly, Elliott is taking a minute to appreciate her legacy and fondly look back on some of her career highlights.
With heavy-hitting lines like, “I did records for Tweet before y’all could even tweet” and “I got so many VMAs I could live on the moon,” Elliott asserts her dominance over the industry with casual confidence. The phrase “throw it back” is worked over many ways throughout the track, indicating it has multiple meanings – one of which is, literally, throwback. Each shoutout to an earlier glory is a throwback in itself. Thematically, the song is more retro than futuristic, marking an unusual turn for an artist who’s built a career on staying and sounding ahead of her time.
The trippy video treatment for the track is full of tie-dye getups, Double Dutch jump roping, and even Elliott planting her own flag on the moon. It’s by all means highly colorful and visually pleasing; however, the Queen of Cool is so cool in it that she’s almost ice cold, which makes her appear to be somewhat bored (particularly when she’s blowing her bubblegum).
But maybe that’s the whole point: she doesn’t have to try hard, because she’s decades beyond proving herself. We’re talking about an artist with eight MTV Video Music Award wins and 34 more nominations. On that account, Elliott can be as unbothered as she’d like. Either way, I’m just glad to have her back. Watch Missy “throw it back” below and let me know how you think her new music stacks up in the comment section:
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