Missy Elliott really has been tearing down dance floors for well over two decades. Last year, the hip hop legend kept the party going with the EP Iconology, which contained four very addictive new cuts for fans to enjoy. In addition, all of the songs have been interconnected by visuals featuring Teyana Taylor teaching a youth about Missy’s history through art. Following high-end clips for “Throw It Back,” “DripDemeanor,” and “Why I Still Love You,” fans get to see a final video for “Cool Off,” which is produced by Wili Hendrix and sees Missy and her dancers turning the museum exhibit theme upside down with vibrant colors and theatrics. The song is also a message to those who think that Missy is done making music:
“Play this again, I’m finna win, finna go off, finna go in, me and my friends, yeah, we on ten, and the song never ends, no, the song never ends/
Body shaped like a fisheye lens, I’ll make it drop, yeah, I’ll make it bend, cool off ‘til I feel the wind, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten…/”
Both as a solo artist and alongside longtime partner-in-beats Timbaland, Missy Elliott’s impact equals that of any other legend within hip hop culture — not only with her videos, but also with her songwriting, production and flat-out hit-making. She’s earned numerous awards and accolades throughout her career and has sold well over 30 million records in the United States. She’s also largely responsible for the success of many artists, including Ginuwine, Tweet, and the late Aaliyah.
During a recent interview with Desus & Mero earlier this year, Missy spoke on how it felt returning to the music spotlight:
“The love always is gonna be… I’m just always like ‘wow,’ you know, I’m always humble and grateful. It’s not a easy thing when you been in the industry that long, when you talking ‘bout 24, 25 years.”
Press play on “Cool Off” below.