Missy opens her fourth studio album, Under Construction, by speaking to us. She lets the world know she is a work in progress. When it was released twenty years ago, in the winter of 2002, the September 11th attacks and the death of not only Aaliyah but also Left Eye, Big Pun and Jam-Master Jay were still fresh. After facing such intense turmoil, Missy says she viewed hate, anger, gossip, or ‘plain ole bullshit’ as ignorant because we are "all under construction trying to rebuild ourselves."

She does make sure those who passed away still have a presence on the album. But musically, what follows, isn't some sad, solemn batch of songs. Instead, it’s quintessential Missy: dance tracks, larger-than-life characters, and humor. 

Sonically and visually, Under Construction is rooted in the origin of hip-hop. It almost feels like a blend of futurism and a neighborhood block party. 

The production team, which included Timbaland and Missy herself, primarily sampled songs from the 80s and 90s. Although the unconventional arrangements use a wide range of music from Run-DMC, UTFO, Blondie, and Jerry Butler to Soul Children, the project still sounds like Missy – and Missy at her best. 

From the album cover to the videos, the artwork is also stylized in the vein of early Hip-Hop, with dance crews rocking the B-boy uniform, Kangol hats, and Adidas tracksuits while breaking and battling. 

The album’s official singles, "Work It" and "Gossip Folks," show off her skills as queen of the uptempo feel-good dance song. Both the videos are iconic. 

At the 2003 VMA’s, she won the top prize for video of the year and best hip hop video for Work It. It is a visual feast. Missy swallows a car, DJ’s a party while covered by bees, dismisses advice from Prince, and is so hot her date faints. It’s in a word: insane. She still pays tribute to Aaliyah, Big Pun, and Left Eye through all this. Even on this imaginary runaway train, Missy is very much grounded. 

On the 2018 Billboard critics list of the ‘Greatest Music Videos of the 21st Century,’ it ranked 2nd.  The song itself is a sexually empowered anthem. Missy embraces her prowess in the bedroom and encourages her partner to do the same.

Similar to "Work It," the video for the second single "Gossip Folks" also centers routines from Missy and her dancers. They are having a great time, and we’re invited. The song is her answer to the negativity she brought up at the top of the album. She’s well aware of what people say about her: she’s too nasty, too skinny, too pop. Here she addresses it all, responding to anyone with something to say. Ludacris adds a colorful humble bragging verse recounting his rise to success. Dealing with gossip is just a part of the ascent. The vid also features a cameo from D.M.C., and closes on a loving mural tribute to Aaliyah, Left Eye and Run-D.M.C.'s Jam-Master Jay, who was murdered two weeks prior to the album's release.

The "Bring the Pain" remix with Method Man is a high-energy track focused on desire. Missy finds the man she wants to be with and isn’t afraid to make it known. The fire between them is burning. It’s an unexpected take on the hard-hitting original that introduced Method Man as a solo artist.

There are also separate appearances from Jay-Z and Beyoncé. 

"Back in the Day," featuring Jay is a love letter to a simpler time, and Missy wants that old thing back. She reminisces about a version of hip hop that was the soundtrack to her childhood, singing with a melodic effervescence. Missy and Jay both add a 16, taking their positions as vanguards of the culture while paying homage to the artists who dominated the genre before them, like KRS-One, Ice Cube, Public Enemy, Heavy D, MC Lyte, Run-DMC, and LL COOL J.  On "Nothing Out There For Me," a duet with Beyoncé, Missy tries to convince the young singer to ditch her boyfriend so they can party together. It’s a new age ‘my man ain’t no good’ story, but here her friend attempts to pull her out of trouble. But unfortunately, Beyonce chooses love over the streets. 

"Can You Hear Me" with TLC is a hope-filled dedication to Aaliyah and Left Eye, who'd died months after Aaliyah in spring 2002. They don’t concentrate on the tragedy of death; rather, the singers choose to let their loved ones know they will see them again. They acknowledge letting go of them in the physical is hard, but they’re in a better place. 

Missy leaves us with an outro full of personality. She tells us she is Hip-Hop, and Hip-Hop isn’t violent. Its talent, musicality, and love.