Block Party (album)

Block Party
Studio album by Missy Elliott
Released	2012
Recorded	2007-2012
Genre	Hip hop, R&B
Label	Goldmind, Atlantic
Producer	Missy Elliott (exec.), Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, Danny!, Danja, Soul Diggaz, Pointguard, T. Gooch, The Neptunes, Pharrell, Bloodshy & Avant, T-Pain
Missy Elliott chronology
Respect M.E. (2006) Block Party (2012)
Singles from Block Party
"Best, Best" Released: June 13, 2008

Block Party is the seventh studio album by American rapper/producer/singer-songwriter Missy Elliott, set to be released in spring or summer of 2012. The album was originally planned to be released in December 2007 under the name The Countdown, however it was pushed back to the summer of 2008 and renamed, FANomenal.

In spring of 2009, Missy altogether abandoned the 2008 recorded version of the album and underwent a re-recording process for the project in order for it to sound "up-to-date" and renamed the album (under it's now-current title), Block Party. During the recording process, over five songs were illegally stolen and leaked via the internet, which has been one of the main reasons why the album has suffered numerous pushback dates and constant delays. In August 2010, Missy announced the album would be lead by the SoulDiggaz-produced single, "Blow Ya Whistle", and has yet to see a release.

In 2011, Missy Elliott confirmed that Timbaland would be the main producer for the enitre album, and it has been said that the album would regenerate "the old Timbaland and Missy [90's] sound" with a "futuristic twist." There has not been any confirmation if previous collaborators (Danny!, The Neptunes, T-Pain, SoulDiggaz, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Bloodshy & Avant, T. Gooch, Jazmine Sullivan, Lil Wayne, Nelly Furtado and Danja), whom all were featured or intended to be part of the project, will appear on the finalized version of the album; however, there is a strong possibility Missy's recurring co-producer, Lamb, will likely be featured on the album.

Background

Two new Elliott songs, "Ching-A-Ling" and "Shake Your Pom" made their original appearance in the beginning of 2008; the former was the first single for the Step Up 2: The Streets soundtrack with assisted production from the Arkitects while the latter was an adjacent A-side and typical Timbaland and Elliott production collaboration. A groundbreaking combination music video of both tracks publicly premiered on the now-defunct MTV's TRL and BET's 106 & Park TV shows on February 4, and was tagged as 'the first ever in 3D' with a feature from Japanese Hip Hop group U-Min as background dancers; despite this, they were both only moderate hits and internationally peaked in the lower half of all the Top 100 singles ranks; "Ching-a-Ling" was later listed at #69 in Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of 2008.

"Best, Best" followed. Plans for its music video and as the album's first single never materialized with it only making a one-week appearance at #94 on the US's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with silent reaction elsewhere.

In June 2009, in an interview with Elle Magazine, Missy Elliott said that she chose the title "Block Party" because it "fits the music the best because it's so upbeat".

On August 18, 2010, Missy announced via her official Twitter account that an upcoming, possibly first single from the album would be titled "Blow Ya Whistle".

Prior to the death of British singer Amy Winehouse, Elliott confirmed she and Timbaland would collaborate with the artist on an untitled track during the 2008 recording sessions. However, it has not been confirmed whether or not the track will be released.

As of January 2012, Missy Elliott has expressed her wishes over Twitter to many fans that she intends to release a "straight spitting" song which differs from her usual "party anthem" songs. Although there will be several "party anthem" songs included in Block Party, the first single will be reminiscent to "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)". Twitter talks between Atlantic executives also reveal that "Triple Threat" & "9th Inning" seem to be the contenders of choice for the first/buzz single.

Recorded tracks

Confirmed

• "Patty Cake" (produced by Timbaland)
• "Murder She Wrote" (produced by Timbaland)
• "Pre Madonna/Prima Donna" (produced by Timbaland, co-produced by Missy Elliott)
• "I'm a Triple Threat" (produced by Timbaland)
• "Real Hip Hop" (produced by Timbaland)
• "Warped" (featuring Timbaland, Magoo & Sebastian; produced by Timbaland)
• "Pin the Tail" (produced by Timbaland, co-produced by Missy Elliott)
• "In The 9th Inning" (produced by Timbaland, co-produced by Missy Elliott)
• "Bounce It Up And Down" (produced by Timbaland, co-produced by Missy Elliott)

Unconfirmed tracks

• "Blow Ya Whistle" (produced by Soul Diggaz)
• "Milk & Cookies" (featuring Melanie B)
• "Hip Hop Don't Die" (featuring Jazmine Sullivan, produced by T. Gooch)
• "Act a Fool" (produced by SoulDiggaz)
• "Love" (produced by Timbaland)
• "All 4 U" (featuring Lil Wayne, produced by SoulDiggaz)
• "Ching-a-Ling" (produced by The Arkitects)
• "Shake Your Pom Pom" (produced by Timbaland)
• "Best, Best" (produced by Danja)
• "Rather" (produced by Missy Elliott, co-produced by Lamb)
• "Fire" (featuring T-Pain, produced by Hit-Boy)
• "Like When You Play the Music" (featuring Jazmine Sullivan)
• "Talk That Shit" (featuring T-Pain, Timbaland, Lil Wayne & Akon, produced by Timbaland)
• "Put It on Ya" (featuring Teyana Taylor, produced by The Neptunes)
• "Lets Do It Again" (produced by Timbaland)
• "Untitled Track" (featuring Amy Winehouse)

Notes

• In early 2008, a demo version of "Fire" leaked via the internet.
• In summer 2008, an unfinished version of "Talk That Shit" was leaked; months following the incident, Elliott's verses were mixed with the track as the final product, however Elliott confirmed the track was not initially intended for Block Party, but for Timbaland's LP, Shock Value 2, which never made the final cut.
• In February 2009, an unauthorized snippet of "Put It on Ya" leaked, interfering with labels' decisions for a lead single in replacement of the former contending single, "Best, Best". Briefly reported by the U.K. press, "Put It on Ya" was to see a release in June 2009, along with an accompanying song featuring Danny!; however, nothing was released or promoted at its planned date. By October 2009, an unfinished version of the song leaked and was to see an official release in November, however the date was scrapped and Elliott confirmed the song would not see a release on the album.
• In summer 2009, Elliott confirmed the love ballad, "Rather" would not make the final cut, after an upsetting leak of the record occurred before its finalization.
• By Thanksgiving 2009, an unfinished version of "Act a Fool" leaked via the internet under the name, "Touch My Body"
• In late December 2009, a rough unfinished version of "All 4 U" leaked via the internet.