Missy Elliott’s New Video “WTF” is Both Retro and Visionary

When Missy Elliott stole this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, she didn’t simply thoroughly upstage headliner Katy Perry, but underscored just how anemic contemporary mainstream American pop is. (Perry was recently named the highest paid woman in show business by Forbes magazine, pulling in $135 million on the strength of her Prismatic Tour. In American speak, that means she’s the most important pop star of the moment, in the world.) With a 2 1/2 minute medley of just some of her biggest hits, Missy reminded longtime fans (and schooled kids who’d never heard of her) just how visionary her old shit was and still is. It sounded fresher and more daring than anything currently popping.

Superbowl:

 It should be no surprise then that her new single and video “WTF (Where They From,”) are both better than almost anything that’s dropped this year. The track easily fits right in Missy’s deep catalogue of dope cuts, from her breakthrough debut single “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to classics like “Work It,” “Lose Control,” and “Get Ur Freak On.” With futuristic beats (stuttering, off-kilter, but fully controlled), sci-fi electronic flourishes, taut melodies, and witty, womanist braggadocio, Elliott is the consummate producer (along with frequent collaborator Timbaland) and performer. She’s also a visual artist whose work easily belongs in conversation alongside Michael Jackson, Bjork, and Madonna.

Get Your Freak On

 “WTF,” is decidedly retro in terms of Missy’s own signature style. But that simply means it’s on a futuristic tip. Like her previous work, it’s rooted in old-school hip-hop’s mandate to move the crowd and make them go wild. It’s an unabashed party anthem. The beat is hard and irresistible, falling away whenever Missy wants to underscore a lyric point; sampled and looped yelps are punctuation. Her flow is as precise and playful as ever, and the self-love in the lyrics invites the listener to identify with her cool confidence. As for the Dave Meyers/Missy co-directed clip? From wardrobe and makeup to special effects and choreography, to its deep nod to hip-hop’s multi-cultural appeal, you won’t see a more infectious or inspired music video this year. It’s proof of Missy’s magnetism that Les Twins and Sharaya J (Missy’s insanely gifted protégé ) all appear in cameos, dancing their assess off, and you barely notice them. And Pharrell as a marionette is both brilliant and redundant.