Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.
So, as our retrospective segments, ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay,’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our latest feature – Chart Rewind – serves as a variation of our Retro Rewind assay to salute an entire era of music history.
This week, we’re working to honor ‘Work It’ – the lead single from Missy Elliott‘s four studio album, 2002’s ‘Under Construction.’
Join us inside:
After spending the latter half of the 1990’s and early 2000’s peppering charts with hits like ‘I Can’t Stand the Rain’, ‘Hot Boyz,’ ‘All In My Grill’, and ‘Get Ur Freak On’ from her first three studio albums, 2002 saw singer/songwriter/rapper/producer Missy Elliott return with her spiciest set yet.
A highly anticipated offering given the quadruple threat’s newly unveiled weight loss, the femcee’s renewed image was among many talking points that kept her in headlines at the top of the millennium (i.e. rumored romances, difficulty dealing with the deaths of longtime friend/R&B singer Aaliyah as well as TLC star Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and more).
Produced by longtime collaborator Timbaland, ‘Work It’ premiered September 9, 2002 to thunderous fanfare.
Debuting on the Hot 100 at #75, by the time the tune’s Dave Meyers-directed music video had begun impacting video countdown shows ‘Work’ had already worked its way to the top 40 by strength from radio airplay alone. It eventually peaked at #2 on the Hot 100, where it was found this week that year. Marking her 7th visit to the tally’s top 10 (third as a song leader), the tune lodged a personal milestone for the Rap diva as it became (and remains) her highest rung reached on the hit list – a feat she tied when Ciara‘s ‘1, 2 Step’ peaked at the same position two years later.
When the dust settled, ‘Work’ netted Missy a third career GRAMMY win and became her first multiplatinum single (as a lead act). Its popularity helped its parent album, ‘Under Construction,’ to 2x Platinum status in the United States.
As we get our groove on to this 2002 bop, look below to see who joined Elliott in the top 25 this week 18 years ago:
Hot 100 This Week in 2002
Hot 100 This Week
I love Missy Elliot
She is dope!
I’d like to get to know ya so I could show ya
Put the pussssyyy on ya like I told ya
Give me all your numbers so I can phone ya
Your girl acting stank, then call me over
Not on the bed, lay me on your sofa
Call before you come, I need to shave my chocha
You do or you don’t or you will or won’t ya?
Go downtown and eat it like a vulture
Sounds dated and kinda lame now. Missy lost her magic touch after lose control 💅🏿💅🏿💅🏿
Yeah my fave Michelle Branch was at #7 in Billboard hot 100 with Game of Love
I kiss the old days
Music was really greater quality
The top 20 songs that time was quality compared now
*miss
I love Missy as well
And let’s not forget Everywhere. 🙃
Goodbye To You, The Game Of Live, and Are You Happy Now still are bops. If only Avril Lavigne hadn’t hit as big. 😊
@PinotNoir wow I’m impressed !
you are very much aware of Michelle hit singles 😍😍😍
Career peak and dip ever since. Now she raps bout bling’n wigs.
Ageeed!
A CLASSIC 🎶🤳🏽