This is not a drill, a test, or an examination. I am not your proctor. Missy Elliott is releasing a new Missy Elliott album at midnight on Friday, her first solo project in 14 years.
Missy calls it “a collection of new songs” under the title Iconology. “Let’s #ThrowItBack to a time when music just felt good and made us want to dance!” she wrote on Instagram and Twitter. Yes, let’s.
It’s a timely surprise. Earlier this year, Missy became the first woman rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for her decades of writing; and on Monday she’ll receive a belated Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards, for her timeless music video innovation.
Missy has shared occasional one-off singles and collaborations (on “Tempo” with Lizzo) over the years, and even a music video. But we can all agree it’s high time she brought her future-cool style into the present in album form and reminded people how this is done.