Archive

Missy Elliott shakes her pom-pom in 3-D

I’ve already confessed my love for dance movies, as well as the primary reason why I love them. It’s the choreographed dance sequences. Ya dig? Well, surprise, surprise: I also enjoy videos featuring women doing their damn thing. Missy Elliott has been doing her damn thing for over 10 years, and her videos are almost always unique in one way or another.

Her latest is in 3-D. Girls? Bounce? Missy style? All that in 3-D? My, my, my. Two songs are given the 3-D treatment: “Ching-a-Ling” and “Shake Your Pom-Pom.”

Take a look – here’s the video, first in 2-D and then in 3-D for those of you who have a pair of specs handy.

I actually did watch the video with 3-D glasses. Don’t ask why I have a pair; it’s really not very interesting. OK, fine: It was a Shrek DVD giveaway. Anyway, watching the 3-D video without glasses not only makes the whole thing look blurry, but it also makes it tough to appreciate all that is popping on and off that screen. The dance moves, people! I’m talking about the dance moves. Jeez.

When I was in high school, I didn’t see any pom-poms quite like those featured in the second song. But that’s probably because I was paying attention to the rigors of my studies and to student council and the prom and doing charity work for the general betterment of society. Heh.

I’m not that crazy for either song as a standalone song, but whenever Missy inserts herself into the choreographed pieces on the videos, I can’t help but love it. There are plenty of videos out there with tight beats and nice dancers and, uh, pom-poms galore! But Missy’s videos work because she has never been one to go for glamour over effective style. She throws herself in there and goes along for the ride. She’s always part of the show, not above it. She’s not simply the front man/person/woman – she’s a part of the spectacle. Plus, I love how the woman rhymes, especially on the offbeats. Her cadence is just so Missy Elliott.

By the way, Missy’s Ching-a-Ling is a featured song on the soundtrack of Step Up 2 the Streets. The film debuts February 14. Wait. What? Another dance movie? Yay!

Missy has had a long line of video must-sees, but my personal favorite is “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).” The video put Missy on the map, and now the girl is global. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 11 years, but the video is still Supa Dupa.

Last night, Elliott was up for a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, but Rihanna and Jay-Z took home the trophy. Elliott has already won five Grammys and has been nominated 12 times, and many of those nods have been for her collaborative efforts. Artists flock to her because they know she can get them airplay with her style. Goodness, how much creativity does this one woman have? Well, enough to give away hit songs to others and still continue on her own solo path. Pretty impressive.

Elliott has a new studio album due out in May, but she seems to be having a hard time naming it. She’s asking for the public’s help to name the new CD. Maybe she’s too worn out from Ching-a-Linging to come up with a name herself. But I have a sneaking suspicion that she doesn’t really need help at all – she just wants her fans to have a chance to collaborate with her. That’s so Missy Elliott.

Lesbian Apparel and Accessories Gay All Day sweatshirt -- AE exclusive

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button