On this day in Hip Hop history, the world was formally introduced to one of the genre’s most trailblazing voices as Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott dropped her debut album Supa Dupa Fly on The Goldmind/Elektra Records.
Heralded as one of the most influential debut albums ever released by a female MC—and arguably in all of Hip Hop—Supa Dupa Fly didn’t just mark the arrival of Missy Elliott, it signaled a seismic shift in what rap and R&B could sound like heading into the new millennium. Arriving during a transitional period in late ’90s Hip Hop, the album fused experimental production, space-age sounds, and unorthodox flows into a sound that would become the blueprint for mainstream Black pop well into the 2000s.
The album’s creative engine was the unstoppable Virginia duo of Missy and Timbaland. Timbaland’s futuristic, chopped-and-clicked beats laid the perfect foundation for Missy’s elastic flows, sultry vocals, and razor-sharp lyricism. Her voice—playful and commanding—moved from romantic to raunchy to ridiculous with ease, giving the project its signature wild, unpredictable flavor.
Tracks like “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” became instant classics, with its Hype Williams-directed video and finger-snapping beat redefining the visual and sonic landscape of Hip Hop. From start to finish, Missy brought unmatched swagger, imagination, and originality—paving the way for the genre-bending artistry we see today.
Commercially, Supa Dupa Fly was a smash. It debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200, topped the R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, and went platinum in the U.S. within the year. Overseas, it earned a silver certification in the UK and charted in countries like New Zealand and the Netherlands. More importantly, it solidified Missy Elliott as a force who would continue to push boundaries for decades.
Salute to Missy Elliott and Timbaland for creating a masterpiece that still feels ahead of its time, nearly three decades later.