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Work It
Missy Elliott
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- Album
- Under Construction
- Released
- 2002
- Genres
- hip hop
- Length
- 4:23
- Tempo
- 102 BPM
- Label
- Atlantic Records/ATG
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About this song
"Work It" is the first single from Missy Elliott's 2002 album Under Construction. It peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Hot 100, where it stayed for 10 weeks behind Eminem's "Lose Yourself," and it was named the best single of 2002 in The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop poll. The song is known for its backward lyrics and an elephant trumpeting, and it helped popularize the term "badonkadonk."
What it's about
The song is a raunchy ode in which Missy raps about sexing up guys. Critic John Bush wrote that it turns the tables on male rappers by taking charge of the sex game.
Fun facts
- Samples “Heart of Glass by Blondie” and “Peter Piper by Run–DMC”.
- Sampled in 49 other songs, like “v0id by fur:trash”.
- Covered once, including “Work it by Robyn Adele Anderson (Ft. Mark Martin)”.
- Written and produced by Missy Elliott and Timbaland.
- Recorded at The Hit Factory Criteria (Miami).