The Missy Effect

Now I've been meaning to get to this for a while just because I think it's kind of sad/funny. We all know Missy is a hip-hop icon and probably the biggest female hip-hop/pop act of the late 90's early 2000's. Everything she touched was hot like fire and her connections to Timbaland made her an even hotter commodity. Not the best rapper, she could make songs and maximized her potential by partnering with good people on both sides of the equation. The one thing she hasn't been able to due is craft or carve out long-lasting careers for people whom she took on as artists.

Lil Mo is currently doing her thing as a radio DJ in DC but it seems like it was ages ago when Superwoman came out and was the hottest thing in the streets. However, even before that, she came out showing her impressive singing skills and possibly too much of the Missy influence with her "5 Minutes" video from the "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" soundtrack.



I remembered that video forever and couldn't find it for a long time. She came off a bit like a Missy clone but she did make her own way with powerful vocals and collaborations with everyone from Roc-a-fella to Murder Inc., even doing a stint with Cash Money, but her career never hit those highs that it should have for a talented singer.

Nicole Wray had a decent little first album, sold a few copies but never achieved the success that Mo had. Eventually, she resurfaced with Roc-a-fella right before the demise of that record label and is still trying to get a foothold. Periodically I see something with her name on it.



Now her sophomore album never released however, I do have it somehow.

Gina Thompson wasn't exclusively on Missy's album however, this only single I ever heard from her was a Missy product:

Tweet is one of my wife's favorite artists and one of the many talented people whom started with Missy whose face could be on the back of a milk carton. Her debut album while not the biggest seller, is critically acclaimed as well as was her second. More recently, as posted on this very blog last year, her daughter is now trying to make it as a singer, hopefully she can make up for the ground her mother never got to cover.



and yes I love this video.

Not to mention, the group which Missy was a part of when she very first hit the scene, Sista, with Brand Nu.




It's safe to say Missy has always been surrounded by talent in all capacities, but dealing with her is almist as bad as dealing with Puffy. The one thing is that people actually will remember you and you will get a shot to succeed. With that I'm sad to say good-bye to Jazmin Sullivan who is going to go and take a break from recording and the industry. I have this feeling we won't hear from her again. These things tend to go in circles...