Missy Elliott

‘This Is Not a Test’

Elektra

Here’s the bad news: Missy Elliott’s fifth studio album is not as good as its predecessor “Under Construction,” nor do any songs hit the spectacular high note of that album’s standout single, “Work It.”

Here’s the good news: Elliott is not your average R’B singer, so when we say “not as good” we still mean fantastic.

No doubt released to capitalize on the incredible success, she enjoyed last year riding on the strength of the experimental “Under Construction,” on “This Is Not a Test” Elliott continues to show off her gifted lyrical wordplay. Sidekick Timbaland is back at the helm, delivering earthquake-like beats.

Missy Elliott is one of the most important artists in the world of hip-hop, shattering the public perception of the female MC. By refusing to use her sexuality as part of her marketing campaign since first introducing us to her futuristic music in the mid-’90s, Elliott has still managed to move more than one million copies of all her studio albums. Despite being overweight (she’s since dropped the weight because of health concerns), Elliott presented herself as sexually confident.

Her sex talk reaches a climax on “This Is Not a Test.” On “Toyz,” she gushes about sex gadgets. The single asserts two things: that she doesn’t need a man to pleasure her, and that there’s alternatives for women who may not be able to get a man. Despite looking trim (in a fold out poster she sports skin-tight short shorts as if to say “Look, I can look good too!”) she’s still holding it down for heavy females everywhere.

As with the rest of her canon, her best songs are those in which Timbaland goes delirious, unleashing syncopated electro beats, sirens, bells and other sound effects that turn the notion that the commercial rap marketplace has to be boring on its head. On “Let It Bump,” Timbaland employs scratching noises, sirens, trickling beats while Missy moans and sings, reminding everyone that she and Tim make the best team in hip-hop. On tracks like “Pump It Up,” featuring Nelly, and “Keep It Movin,’ ” featuring Elephant Man, Elliott proves she can hold her own with some of the best rappers and R’B stars (nine in all on this record) in the business.

Of course, making sure she’s not staid is one of Elliott’s famous goals, and she encourages others in the hip-hop game to do the same. On “Wake Up,” featuring Jay-Z, she shouts “hip-hop better wake up,” that bling-bling isn’t important, but rather the quality of the music that brought hip-hop worldwide attention is. It’s a topic she brought up in her last record and one that she wants to make sure she still brings attention to.

Other hip-hop stars can learn something from Missy Elliott’s playful and inventive music – one that helps smash stereotypes and promotes harmony all while making sure the music is top-notch.