"Get Ur Freak On" is a song by American rapper
Missy Elliott. It was written and produced by Elliott and
Timbaland for her third studio album Miss E... So Addictive (2001). Based on heavy
bhangra elements, a popular music and dance form from the region of
Punjab in
India,[2] the song features a six-note base that is a Punjabi melody played on a
tumbi and rhythm and bassline played on
tabla.[3]
Released as the album's first single on March 13, 2001, the track reached number seven on the US
Billboard Hot 100 chart. Internationally, "Get Ur Freak On" became a top-10 success in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, where it became her first solo top-10 hit, peaking at number four. A remix of the song featuring
Nelly Furtado was a dance club hit during this period. On the Billboard magazine issue dated February 21, 2015, "Get Ur Freak On" re-entered at number 40, more than a decade after its original chart run. This re-entry was spawned by Missy Elliott's performance at the
Super Bowl XLIX halftime show that occurred earlier in the month.
Background and promotion
At the beginning of the song, a man says in Japanese: 「これからみんなでめちゃくちゃ踊って騒ごう、騒ごう。」 "Kore kara minna de mechakucha odotte. Sawagou, sawagou". Translated into English, it means: "Everyone start dancing together wildly now. Let's make some noise, let's make some noise." Before the second chorus (after Missy says "Let me throw you some"), the song samples German artist
Karunesh’s song “Solitude” from the album Global Spirit. The outro of the song features the man who speaks Japanese saying "Ichi, ni, san, shi", translating to "One, two, three, four." The music video was directed by
Dave Meyers. Rappers
Ludacris,
LL Cool J,
Timbaland,
Ja Rule,
Busta Rhymes,
Master P,
Spliff Star,
Lil' Romeo,
Eve,
Nate Dogg and singer
Nicole Wray make cameo appearances in the video.
Critical reception and legacy
"Get Ur Freak On" is widely considered one of Missy Elliott's best songs. Stereogum and Paste ranked the song number one and number two, respectively, on their lists of the 10 greatest Missy Elliott Songs.[4][5]
In 2011, the song was listed 14th on Rolling Stone's Best Songs of the 2000s.[6] In 2004 and 2010, it was ranked at number 466 on their
500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[7] In the 2021 reranking, it was ranked at number eight.[8] In 2002, "Get Ur Freak On" was named the best single released in the year 2001 by The Village Voice's
Pazz & Jop annual year-end critics' poll. The song also lists at number seven on Pitchfork Media's Top 500 Songs of the 2000s and number 16 on
VH1's Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop. In 2011, NME placed it at number 17 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[9] In April 2014, the song was remixed with
the Black Keys' song "Keep Me" for the original soundtrack to Neighbors (2014).[10]
On the comedy show Fonejacker, the track was parodied by
Kayvan Novak as he tried to get "Sounds of the Universe" record shop manager Jon Burnip, to identify the track by singing the tune with nonsensical lyrics.[62]
In
Britney Spears'
Britney: Piece of Me revamped Vegas residency show, "Get Ur Freak On" was performed as a medley along with other Elliott songs.
Though not covered, the melody of the song was sampled in the song “ILoveYourAunt” by American rappers A$AP Ferg and $ki Mask the Slump God.
Japanese experimental music group
Satanicpornocultshop sampled lyrics from "Get Ur Freak On" in their 2010 song "[r.i.p.] Tide."
^Get Ur Freak On (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Missy Elliott. Elektra Records, The Goldmind Inc. 2001. E7206T, 7559-67255-0.{{
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^Get Ur Freak On (UK CD single liner notes). Missy Elliott. Elektra Records, The Goldmind Inc. 2001. E7206CD, 7559-67206-2.{{
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^Get Ur Freak On (UK cassette single sleeve). Missy Elliott. Elektra Records, The Goldmind Inc. 2001. E7206C, 7559-67206-4.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
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^Get Ur Freak On (European CD single liner notes). Missy Elliott. Elektra Records, The Goldmind Inc. 2001. 7559-67207-5.{{
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^Get Ur Freak On (Australian CD single liner notes). Missy Elliott. Elektra Records, The Goldmind Inc. 2001. 7559672262.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
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