Tyler, the Creator Tells Fans to ‘Go Study’ Missy Elliott’s Music

Tyler, the Creator has some advice for his younger fans. Namely, they should "go study" all of Missy Elliott's work, which remains influential to this day.

Tyler the Creator is seen during a performance
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Image via Getty/Theo Wargo/Roc Nation

Tyler the Creator is seen during a performance

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the Missy Elliott catalog. In short, the celebrated artist’s boundary-pushing work is still routinely cited as among the most influential creations of their time, including by Megan Thee Stallion and more. On Wednesday, Tyler, the Creator took such talk a step further by urging fans to “go study” Missy’s entire discography.

First, Missy herself shared a tweet in which she reflected on the two weeks of sessions that went into her debut album Supa Dupa Fly, singles from which include “The Rain” and “Sock It 2 Me,” among others.

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“My label told me they would give me my own label if I did 1 album so me & Timbaland completed this album in 2 weeks not knowing this would be the beginning of many more to come,” Missy said on Tuesday.

My 1st album was stressfree because I didn’t have any expectations. My label told me they would give me my own label if I did 1 album so me & @Timbaland completed this album in 2 weeks not knowing this would be the beginning of many more to come🔥 pic.twitter.com/mineJQSfDN

— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) December 6, 2022

The following day, Tyler joined the conversation with his aforementioned study suggestion.

“To my younger fans, go study all her albums,” he said on Wednesday before offering a selection of specific highlights. Among the classic Missy moments shouted out by Tyler were the Hype Williams-directed video for Da Real World single “Hot Boyz,” the Miss E… So Addictive track “Lick Shots,” and more.

to my younger fans, go study all her albums. pass that dutch beat still blows my mind. go watch the hot boyz video. see how she approached lick shots and gossip folks with her voice. capitol M! https://t.co/3dygNhGxi5

— T (@tylerthecreator) December 7, 2022

Earlier this year, Missy shared some sage advice about the inherent need to branch out when it comes to an artist’s sophomore project. According to Missy, sophomore albums (like her own acclaimed Supa Dupa Fly follow-up Da Real World) provide the ideal opportunity for experimentation. And not only that, but if such an opportunity is ignored, an artists risks being “boxed in” by a sound they may soon outgrow.

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