Timbaland teases new music from Missy Elliott: “Some of it has a kind of Latin feel”

Missy Elliott‘s influence on hip-hop and music has been praised, most recently with her nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But it’s been some time since she released a full-length project.

Her last LP, Cookbook, dropped back in 2005, more than 15 years ago. Producer and longtime friend/collaborator Timbaland says he’s hoping to have her new album out sometime this summer. 

“We’ve got a lot of songs we’re gonna start recording soon, and my dream is to have it out around her birthday in July,” he tells Variety. “I want it to sound how she looks — she looks incredible right now. We both look like we 19 again.”

“I know how Missy works: It’s got to be new and fun — or maybe not so much new as kind of underground, and everything is upbeat,” Timbo continues. “Some of it has a kind of Latin feel to it, almost a Bad Bunny effect, some of it’s kinda like underground Brazilian funk. People gonna eat it up — and it might reach a just a different demographic of people. It’s like it’s her doing … not reggaeton but Missy-ton.”

The producer notes he’d love to see Missy teaming up with Latin artists, including Young Mike and the aforementioned Bad Bunny. “I think that she could show them something,” he said. “She’s already global, but this takes it to a different level.”

Missy released an EP, Iconology, in 2019, and recently jumped on songs “Lobby” by Anitta and “Fly Girl” by FLO.

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