Supa Dupa Fly (1997)

Supa Dupa Fly is the debut studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released on July 15, 1997, by The Goldmind, East West, and Elektra Entertainment Group. The album was recorded and produced solely by Timbaland in October 1996, and features the singles "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", "Sock It 2 Me", "Hit Em wit da Hee" and "Beep Me 911". Guest appearances on the album include Busta Rhymes, Ginuwine, 702, Magoo, Da Brat, Lil' Kim, and Aaliyah. The album was recorded in just two weeks.

The album received acclaim from critics, who praised Timbaland's futuristic production style and Elliott's performances and persona. It debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 and topped the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has sold 1.2 million copies in the United States.

In 2020, the album was ranked 93 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" and, in 2022, 53 on their "100 Best Debut Albums of All Time". In 2024, Apple Music placed the album at number 75 on their 100 Best Albums list.

Background and recording

While in high school, Elliott formed a group called Fayze—later to be renamed Sista—with three of her friends. The group attracted the attention of record producer DeVante Swing, who was part of the R&B group Jodeci. After being signed to the Swing Mob record label, Sista recorded an album in New York, but the album was never released. This led to subsequent termination of Sista's recording contract. Elliott returned to Portsmouth, Virginia, where she and record producer Timbaland began writing songs and contributed to singer Aaliyah's album One in a Million.

In 1996, Elliott was signed to East West Records, which at that time was a division of Elektra Entertainment Group, and was given her own record label, The Goldmind Inc. Sylvia Rhone, then the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Elektra, encouraged Elliott to embark upon a solo career. Recording sessions of Supa Dupa Fly took place at the Master Sound Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia; the recording process took place over slightly more than a week. The album was produced solely by Timbaland.

The first single released from the album was "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)". As part of the promotional drive for her album, Elliott took part in the 1998 Lilith Fair tour; she became the first female rapper to perform at the event. She also joined rapper Jay-Z's Rock the Mic tour.

Music and lyrics

Supa Dupa Fly brings together elements of hip hop, dance, R&B, electronic music, and soul. Music critic Garry Mulholland described Timbaland's production as "eschewing samples for a bump 'n' grind electronica, strongly influenced by the digital rhythms of dancehall reggae, but rounder, fuller, fatter". AllMusic described it as consisting of "lean, digital grooves [...] packed with unpredictable arrangements and stuttering rhythms that often resemble slowed-down drum'n'bass breakbeats." A retrospective review from The New Yorker emphasizes the usage of "extra-musical noises" as "instruments in and of themselves" on the album, and describes the result as "a futuristic sound in which the organic and the synthetic were complementary".

Elliott's raps were described as "full of hilariously surreal free associations that fit the off-kilter sensibility of the music to a tee". According to author Mickey Hess, the album's lyrical content "reveals Elliott's complex, creative, and challenging discussion about womanhood; her demand for respect, respect for her personal voice and her desire for fulfilling intimacy with lovers and friends". Elliott has also been recognized for her diverse cadences and deliveries on the album, a versatility that has been described as her "oily ability to slip from singing to rapping to elliptical riffing".

The album's opening track, "Busta's Intro", features rapper Busta Rhymes as a town crier warning of a "historical event about to unfold". "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" contains a sample of Ann Peebles' 1973 song "I Can't Stand the Rain". "Pass da Blunt" is partly based on the song "Pass the Dutchie" by Musical Youth. The track "Bite Our Style (Interlude)" samples the song "Morning Glory" by Jamiroquai.

Reception

Upon its release, Supa Dupa Fly received acclaim among music critics. Elliott's rapping, singing and songwriting received much acclaim, while Timbaland's production was hailed as unique and revolutionary. AllMusic called the album a "boundary-shattering postmodern masterpiece" whose "futuristic, nearly experimental style became the de facto sound of urban radio at the close of the millennium".

Spin magazine ranked the album at number nine on its Top 20 Albums of the Year. In 1998, four out of five music critics from The New York Times ranked the album as one of their top ten favorite albums of 1997. The album earned Elliott two Grammy Award nominations: Best Rap Album and Best Rap Solo Performance for "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)".