Missy Elliott blasts dope recipes

Missy Elliott’s albums have become like dearest friends popping in at the most appropriate moments. ‘The Cookbook’ is not different in our estimation because, alike our metaphorical ‘guest’, it tends to bring some new and exciting ‘stories’.

Missy Elliott drops her sixth studio album, 'The Cookbook', a follow-up to the 2003 UK Gold Certified/multi-million US selling, 'This Is Not A Test'. There is no doubt that she has become one of Hip-hop's cultural magnets and most successful and cherished female rapper. And, she was reportedly thinking of giving it up after this release!?

The album boasts a superb guest list including Pharrell Williams on the Neptunes’ produced 'On And On', Mary J Blige on the wonderfully honest 'My Struggles', the red-hot Ciara on ‘Lose Control’ and ultra-respected M.I.A. on ‘Bad Man’; 16 tracks include a soul stirring 'Gotta Move On'. Production comes courtesy of Missy herself and collaborators that list like a who is who for the hottest, dopest beat makers around - with Timbaland, The Neptunes, Warryn Campbell and Craig Brockman included.

The Gap-ad star [alongside Madonna if memory still serves] is keeping it real, never resting on the fame’s dais but the songs remain accessible. She worried an experimental disc would alienate her audience; the rap-star enjoyed pushing the boundaries of Hip-hop on previous albums like ‘Under Construction’ but wanted to make her latest release a solid rap record.

“We went so far left that I didn't want to lose people,” Missy explains. “I look at Prince - a genius so far ahead that he started to make music that was too far left for us to understand.”

And, it is true, even the R&B tracks [usually the weakest cuts on (m)any rap discs] are ace. The approach is also reflected in the black’n’white artwork that certainly doesn’t indicate any loss of colour and coloration. It actually favours ‘blue’ because she is on the sex game, again and again. In that dept., she’s as forceful as armpit aggression on the Tube. And yet, never - vainglorious.

‘The Cookbook’ recipes are vivid, stylish and dope...

8/10