Best, Best

Last updated
"Best, Best"
Best Best.jpg
Single by Missy Elliott
ReleasedJune 13, 2008
Length4:41
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Missy Elliott singles chronology
"Need U Bad"
(2008)
"Best, Best"
(2008)
"Bad Girl"
(2008)

"Best, Best" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott. It was written by Elliott, Marcella Araica, and Nate "Danja" Hills for what was supposed to be Elliott's seventh studio album Block Party, while production was helmed by Elliott and Hills. Announced as the album's lead single, it was released by The Goldmind Inc. and Atlantic Records on June 13, 2008, and peaked at number 94 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Since Block Party was abandoned in the spring of 2009, "Best, Best" remains a standalone single.

Contents

Composition

Written and produced by Elliott and music producer Danja, "Best, Best" is a futuristic sounding, mid-tempo Hip-hop and R&B song. Like some of Elliott's other songs it is rapped and sung. After Billboard previewed the song they stated, "Elliott, repeated the last word to every sentence throughout, rhymes, ('We fuss fuss / we fight fight / we make up up / by the night night.')". [1]

Critical reception

In his review of the Block Party's preview listening party in 2008, Rap-Up editor Rajul Punjabi wrote: "Danja didn't do much for this track, although Missy herself claims that it's "what "Irreplaceable" did for Beyoncé's album [...] Mid-tempo with a lyrical ode to her man. Missy repeats the last word of every line ("We fuss fuss / we fight fight / we make up by the end of the night night.)"" [2] In a retrospective review of the song, Steven J. Horowitz from Vulture remarked that "Danja turns in a B-level take on Timbalands clattering percussion, accenting the rumble below with Casio-type synths. The beat offers little to support the stuttering Auto-Tuned lyrics that come across as simple for such a dexterous lyricist." [3]

Release

When choosing which song was going to be the lead single off of her seventh studio album, Elliott had plans to release "Act a Fool" as the lead single, but plans were quickly scrapped and "Best, Best" was chosen in its place. [4] [5] Released as a digital download on June 13, 2008, [4] it peaked at number 94 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. [6] A planned music video for "Best, Best," announced in June 2008, never came to fruition. [5]

Charts

Chart performance for "Best, Best"
Chart (2008)Peak
position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [6] 94

Release history

Release history for "Best, Best"
RegionDateFormat(s)LabelRef(s)
VariousJune 13, 2008 Digital download [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MC Lyte</span> Hip hop artist, l author, activist and entrepreneur

Lana Michele Moorer, better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper, disc jockey, entrepreneur and actress. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a full solo album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock. The album spawned the singles "10% Dis" and "Paper Thin". In 1989, she joined the supergroup Stop the Violence Movement, and appeared on the single "Self Destruction", which was the inaugural number-one single on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missy Elliott</span> American rapper and record producer (born 1971)

Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott, also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the 1990s, and later became a member of the Swing Mob collective alongside her childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland, with whom she wrote and produced music for acts such as 702, Aaliyah, SWV, and Total. Following several collaborations and guest appearances, she began her solo career in 1997 with her debut album Supa Dupa Fly, which spawned the top 20 single "Sock It 2 Me". The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the highest charting debut for a woman rapper at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Da Brat</span> American rapper (born April 14, 1974)

Shawntae Harris-Dupart, better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album Funkdafied (1994) sold one million copies, making her the first-ever female solo rap act to receive a platinum certification, and the second-ever female rap act after Salt-N-Pepa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trina</span> American rapper (born 1978)

Katrina Laverne Taylor, known professionally as Trina, is an American rapper. She rose to prominence in the late 1990s for her collaborations with Trick Daddy on the singles "Nann Nigga", "Shut Up", and "Take It to da House". In 2000, she released her debut album Da Baddest Bitch. Afterwards, she made an appearance on the remix of "One Minute Man" by Missy Elliott and Ludacris. In 2002, she released the Kanye West-produced single "B R Right" featuring Ludacris, from her sophomore album Diamond Princess (2002).

"Back in the Day" is a 2003 hip-hop song by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, featuring guest vocals from Jay-Z and Elliott protégé Tweet. The song appears on her 2002 album Under Construction and was at one time planned for release as a single. It peaked at #86 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart in 2003 before being scrapped as a single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1, 2 Step</span> 2004 single by Ciara

"1, 2 Step" is a song by American singer Ciara featuring American rapper Missy Elliott. Written alongside producer Jazze Pha, it was released on November 1, 2004 as the second single of the former's debut studio album, Goodies. In the United States. It peaked within the top 10 of the charts in several countries worldwide, including Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The song is heavily inspired by 1980s electro music production. Throughout the song, Ciara gives a description of how the song's beat feels as she exhorts party-goers to dance to the music. "1, 2 Step" was ranked 59th on Billboard's Top 100 Songs of the 2000s. In the United States, the song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for seven weeks.

<i>The Cookbook</i> 2005 studio album by Missy Elliott

The Cookbook is the sixth studio album by American rapper Missy Elliott, released on July 4, 2005, by The Goldmind Inc. and Atlantic Records in Germany and the United Kingdom, and on July 5 in the United States and Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lose Control (Missy Elliott song)</span> 2005 single by Missy Elliott

"Lose Control" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott featuring singer Ciara and rapper Fatman Scoop. It was released as the lead single from Elliott's sixth studio album, The Cookbook, on May 23, 2005. It contains samples from Hot Streak's "Body Work" and Cybotron's "Clear". The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, number two in New Zealand, and in the top thirty in various countries.

The Goldmind, Inc. is an American record label founded in 1997 by rapper Missy Elliott. Elliott and Goldmind were once distributed through East West Records & Elektra Entertainment Group, Until 2004 when Time Warner sold WMG to a private investment group. The new owners then merged the Elektra with sister label Atlantic Records, transferring Elliott and Goldmind. Goldmind is home to Missy Elliott, specializing in R&B/hip-hop/soul music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missy Elliott discography</span>

The discography of American rapper, singer, and record producer Missy Elliott consists of six studio albums, three compilation albums, one extended play, seventy-four singles and twenty solo music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tambourine (song)</span> 2007 single by Eve featuring Swizz Beatz

"Tambourine" is a hip hop song written by Eve, Swizz Beatz, and Sean Garrett. The song samples "Blow Your Whistle" from The Soul Searchers. It was released in 2007, becoming Eve's first charting single as a lead performer in over four years. In the week of April 19, 2007, the song debuted at number 73 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it continued to gain momentum. The song has also been made available for purchase as a single on iTunes. In the United Kingdom, "Tambourine" debuted at number 38, two weeks before the song's physical release. The song peaked at number 18 there and was her fifth consecutive top twenty solo hit in the UK. The B-side to "Tambourine" is "Dancefloor" featuring Mashonda. The song features uncredited vocals by the song's producer Swizz Beatz. The song was #68 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007, and was also #70 on MTV Asia's list of Top 100 Hits of 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)</span> 1997 single by Missy Elliott

"The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" is the debut solo single by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott. It was written and composed by Don Bryant, Bernard "Bernie" Miller, Elliott, and producer Timbaland for her debut album Supa Dupa Fly (1997) and contains a sample of Ann Peebles' 1973 single "I Can't Stand the Rain", whose lyrics serve as the chorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ching-a-Ling</span> 2008 single by Missy Elliott

"Ching-a-Ling" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott. It was written by Elliott along with frequent collaborator Cainon Lamb as well as Shawn Campbell and Marshall Leathers from production duo The Arkitects for what was supposed to be Elliott's seventh studio album Block Party, while production was helmed by Lamb, Campbell, and Leathers. In the song, sound elements of the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong are heard throughout the song.

"Shake Your Pom Pom" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott. It was written by Elliott along with frequent collaborator Cainon Lamb and Timbaland for what was supposed to be her seventh studio album Block Party, while production was helmed the latter. The song contains interpolations from "The Show" (1985) by Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew and "Da Butt" (1988) by Experience Unlimited Due to the inclusion of the sample, several other writers are credited as songwriters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Work (Ciara song)</span> 2009 single by Ciara featuring Missy Elliott

"Work" is a song recorded by American recording artist Ciara for her third studio album Fantasy Ride (2009). It was released by LaFace Records on July 24, 2009, as the album's third and final single. Rapper Missy Elliott provides featured vocals on the song. Ciara and Elliott wrote it in collaboration with its producers Nate "Danja" Hills and Marcella Araica. "Work" is a fast-paced electropop and dance song with elements of bounce music and hip hop. Ciara described it as an energetic club track, and considered it initially as the lead single of Fantasy Ride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anything (To Find You)</span> 2011 single by Monica featuring Rick Ross

"Anything (To Find You)" is a song by American recording artist Monica taken from her seventh studio album, New Life (2012). It features additional vocals from American rapper Rick Ross, and was written and produced by longtime contributors Missy Elliott and Cainon Lamb with additional penning from fellow R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan, Henry Fuse, Miguel "Pro" Castro, and William Roberts. The song samples 1995's "Who Shot Ya?" performed by The Notorious B.I.G. and Diddy, and uses an interpolation of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's 1968 hit, "You're All I Need to Get By".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9th Inning</span> 2012 promotional single by Missy Elliott featuring Timbaland

"9th Inning" is a song by American rapper, producer, singer-songwriter Missy Elliott featuring guest appearance by childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland. Originally, a snippet was released on Elliott's official website on September 10, 2012. This song, along with the accompanying "Triple Threat", made its full debut via Ustream on September 17, 2012, and were both released as promotional singles on September 18, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triple Threat (Missy Elliott song)</span> 2012 promotional single by Missy Elliott featuring Timbaland

"Triple Threat" is a song by American rapper, producer, singer-songwriter Missy Elliott featuring a guest appearance by childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland. Originally, a snippet of the song premiered in March 2012 during Timbaland's appearance on SXSW. This song, along with the accompanying "9th Inning," were both released as promotional singles on September 18, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTF (Where They From)</span> 2015 Missy Elliott single featuring Pharrell Williams

"WTF (Where They From)" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott featuring fellow American musician Pharrell Williams. Produced by the latter, it was released in 2015 as Elliott's first single and first music video, since 2008's "Shake Your Pom Pom", although she had been a featured artist on others' singles and videos and had released promotional singles, during the intervening years. The song received significant praise from critics, and was sometimes referred to as her "comeback".

References

  1. Concepcion, Mariel (March 12, 2008). "Missy Elliott Previews Seventh Album". Billboard.com . Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  2. "Album Preview: Missy Elliott's 7th Album". Rap-Up . March 14, 2008. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  3. Horowitz, Steven J. (September 4, 2019). "Every Missy Elliott Song, Ranked Missy has not just redefined pop music — she's consistently reinvented it". Vulture.com . Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "New Music: Missy Elliott – 'Best, Best'". Rap-Up . June 13, 2008. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Album Preview: Missy Elliott's 7th Album". The Hollywood Reporter . June 10, 2008. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Missy Elliott Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2023.