“Get Ur Freak On” Nearly Didn’t Happen, Plus Missy Teases New Fire

Missy Elliott revealed that “Get Ur Freak On” almost didn’t make her 2001 album because Timbaland was exhausted in the studio and ready to bounce. While he was randomly hitting keys, one sound caught Missy’s ear, that became the spark. She jumped in the booth, already imagining the choreography her dancers would bring to it. The risk paid off: Rolling Stone later crowned it the best song of the 21st Century. Missy also teased new experimental music on the way, saying she’s got “some fire” coming.

“He just started hitting anything,” Missy Elliott said. “He was bamming on the keyboard ’cause he was ready to go.” “And he hit something and I was like, ‘That’s it right there.’ And he was like, ‘What? What you talking about?’ I just went in the booth and did the record,” she said. “I’ve spent so much time around dancers,” she said. “From my first time on tour, I had 22 dancers… When I’m doing that record, I’m thinking of my dancers. I could just see them moving to it.” “I have something in the works,” she said. “It’s just different. It’s me being experimental again… I got some stuff coming. Some fire.”