"Gossip Folks" | |||||||||||
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Single by Missy Elliott featuring Ludacris | |||||||||||
from the album Under Construction | |||||||||||
Released | November 11, 2002 | ||||||||||
Format | CD single, 12" | ||||||||||
Recorded | 2002; The Hit Factory Criteria (Miami, Florida) PatchWerk Recording Studios (Atlanta, Georgia) |
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Genre | Southern hip hop | ||||||||||
Length | 3:54 | ||||||||||
Label | Goldmind/Elektra | ||||||||||
Writer(s) |
Missy Elliott Tim Mosley Christopher Bridges |
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Producer(s) | Timbaland and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott (co-producer) | ||||||||||
Missy Elliott singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"Gossip Folks" is a song by American hip-hop artist Missy Elliott, featuring Ludacris. The song appears on her 2002 album Under Construction and was chosen as second single release. It peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 in the UK. "Gossip Folks" also went to number one on the dance charts.
The song is Missy's response to various rumors about her (e.g., her sexual orientation, her weight), and essentially tells those who spread these rumors to mind their own business. The refrain of "Gossip Folks" samples the 1981 song "Double Dutch Bus" by Frankie Smith.
The music video for "Gossip Folks" was directed by Dave Meyers. In the beginning Elliott is walking through the hallway when students start announcing her entrance and begin to start rumors about her.
As Missy's verse starts, Missy and the students begin dancing through the chorus. The second verse starts in the cafeteria where Missy has her group of students have a food fight with another group. Also in the cafeteria are Tweet, Eve, and Trina cheering while sitting on a cafeteria table.
In the middle of the video a clip of "Funky Fresh Dressed" featuring Ms. Jade was played. The "Funky Fresh Dressed" segment of the video features Elliott and Ms. Jade with green skin in a classroom. Missy begins to aggravate the teacher Faizon Love while Ms. Jade takes over the class with a yardstick as a symbol of power. Ludacris's verse begins directly after the "Funky Fresh Dressed" segment. He appears to be the principal.
The Bus Driver, that appears in the last ten seconds, is Darryl McDaniels (DMC of Run-DMC). Toward the end of the video a mural dedicated to the late R&B/hip hop stars Aaliyah (1979-2001), Lisa Lopes (1971-2002), and Jam Master Jay (1965-2002) is shown. The video features several young dancers, including Monica Parales of the former girl group School Gyrls, and Alyson Stoner, who appears in several other Missy Elliott videos.