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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

Under Construction
by Missy Elliott


8.4

based on 19 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 17 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

Missy Elliott reunites once again with super-producer Timbaland on this, her fourth studio album. The lead single is "Work It," a huge success even before the album's release. Guests on the disc include Jay-Z, Ludacris, Beyonce Knowles, TLC and Method Man.

LABEL:	Elektra/Asylum
RELEASE DATE:	12 November 2002
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Rap, Dance, Urban

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

E! Online

Even with all the drama, Construction is Elliott's sturdiest creation yet.

100

Blender

Tempering futurism with retro-rap here, [Timbaland and Missy] feed the old through the new and refresh both. [#12, p.142]

Salon.com

Missy scores the highest marks in the qualities shared by all gifted rappers: rhymes, flow, cleverness and style.

All Music Guide

One of the best rap LPs of the year.

Entertainment Weekly

With each album, Elliott has grown more confident and individualistic, not to mention more bizarre.

Ink Blot Magazine

Unlike most of her peers, she knows that fun is really the fifth element of hip-hop, and she keeps finding thrilling new ways to make this music danceable and fun.

Q Magazine

Fortunately, Elliott and Timbaland's idea of old school is rather unorthodox. [Jan 2003, p.121]

Mixer

Clever and catchy at every turn. [Jan 2003, p.74]

The Onion (A.V. Club)

In the long shadow of death, Elliott and Timbaland's funky, feisty, infectious music joyously celebrates life.

Rolling Stone

Under Construction, uninhibited and unpredictable, is her best yet.

Mojo

It's the first time in the history of the Missy-Timbaland team-up where, having delivered the goods early on and earned the space to do whatever theheck they like, they tread water instead of pushing things forward. [Album of the Month, Jan 2003, p.90]

Playlouder

This is better than anyone could have expected.

New York Magazine

Strange and wonderful.

New Musical Express

'Under Construction' is stuck all over with shocks and surprises, more than enough to keep the rogue-scientist glitchmasters who mutated 'Get Ur Freak On' in mischief for months.

Pitchfork

A good record with some incredibly sick production work.

Uncut

When she's raised the stakes so high, anything less than the reinvention of music comes as a disappointment. [Jan 2003, p.122]

Launch.com

As good overall as the tracks here are, that bit about familiarity breeding contempt rings true.

Dot Music

'Under Construction' isn't a retro album, so much as it's informed by both new and old. But it also isn't beyond question whether this return to roots doesn't conceal a lack of inspiration.

PopMatters

Unfortunately, a talented producer doesn't a great album make, as is the case with the shabby Under Construction.

The average user rating for this album is 8.4 (out of 10) based on 17 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

d h gave it a4:
I was shocked. The language was perverse. I mean come on its gutter trash.

s M gave it a9:
It took me a while to like this album as a whole. But it's hit.

Joshua K gave it a 10:
This CD is not only hott, but sends a good message! Missy has a great heart and spreads her love as much as possible!

J F gave it a 10:
Missy is a huge ho! I love it!

Jane S gave it a 9:
This album is so good. If I could I would buy 10 more of them. Missy you did it again!

Moustafa A gave it a 9:
Crazy Cd for many reasons: creative, sick sick beats, awesome guests as always with Luda, Jay Z, Method Man, TLC...all around hype-ness.

Wow Like Whoa gave it a 10:
Amazing, Simply Amazing,

Under Construction by Missy Elliott

Under Construction
by Missy Elliott