spot. Buddies Method Man and Redman bark across the bridge of "Dog in Heat"'s canine funk. Jay-Z and Ludacris feature on two different versions of "One Minute Man"'s scathing soul. Synths tweak and creak in rhythm as Missy unleashes a dreamy diss of those hopeless suitors who unload their cargo before they've sparked her ignition. "Take Away" features Pony man Ginuwine on a hypnotic slow-burner heavily reminiscent of Art of Noise's "Moments in Love." When left to her own devices, as she is on "Lick Shots" (which jangles like Django Reinhardt on downers), Missy comes on like Schooly D, a fearless, female gangsta licking shots against anyone who dares cross her. On "Scream a.k.a. Itchin'" she breaks into a soprano. A 4/4 stomp is stamped indelibly across t...  (less)

My Grill', 'Beep Me 911' and 'The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly', it also contains some hot remixes including '4 My People' (Basement Jaxx DJ Remix) and 'I'm Really Hot' (Nu Radio Edit). Features guest appearances from Ludacris, Ciara, Big Boi, Nicole, 702 and, of course, Timbaland. 17 tracks total. Warner. 2006.  (less)

and clever raps would serve to be strong enough on its own, but the whole disc becomes a superpowered collective when a host of celebrities contribute on nearly every song. There's the built-for-cruising grooves of "Sock It 2 Me" featuring Da Brat on trademark lightening-fast rhymes, the sultry Ginuwine-marked "Friendly Skies" and "Best Friends" with Aaliyah. Supa Dupa Fly is a disc filled with woman-empowering lyrics and philosophies, but those looking for a role models for young children should be forewarned; some rough language is mixed in with the disc's good intentions. --Denise Sheppard  (less)

who knows what she wants, Missy exhibits her new attitude by aggressively showcasing her strong songwriting skills and superb vocal talents. Her lyrics are relatively simple, but perfectly complement the syncopated orchestrations of the often-imitated, never-duplicated producer Timbaland. Climactic strings dance around the voices of Missy, Nicole, and Outkast's Big Boi on "All N My Grill" and on "Busa Rhyme" a punctuating tone accentuates the dark confessions of featured MC Eminem. A plethora of guests pepper Da Real World , but the multifaceted Missy is never outshone. --Celine Wong  (less)

A-list rap stars don't need sexual aids to get their groove on, but Missy's looking out for the 95 percent of the female rap population who might not look like Halle Berry. Some would apologetically rock fake hair extensions, but Missy celebrates them on "Let Me Fix My Weave." The self-deprecation continues on the jazzy "I'm Not Perfect." But This Is Not a Test is not all about Miss E. With her beat-wizard buddy Timbaland, she's on a crusade to revitalize what they feel is a stagnating commercial rap marketplace. It reaches its apex on "Wake Up" (featuring Jay-Z), where she reminds us that wearing big Liberace chains and driving high-end sport utility vehicles is not all that important. Sure, most of the guest collaborations here either soun...  (less)

include Tweet, Fantasia, Slick Rick, Mike Jones, Mary J Blige, Grand Puba and Lil Kim.  (less)

'Work It', 'Get Ur Freak On', 'One Minute Man' (feat. Ludacris), 'The Rain' (Supa Dupa Fly), 'Hit 'Em Wit Da Hee' (feat. Lil' Kim), 'She's A Bitch', 'Hot Boyz', '4 My People' (Basement Jaxx remix), 'Sock It 2 Me' (feat. Da Brat), 'Beep Me 911' (feat. 702), 'All N My Girl' (feat. Big Boi Of Outkast & Nicole), & 'Take Away' (feat. Ginuwine). Slipcase. WEA. 2003.  (less)