History Lesson: Missy Elliott Reveals Diddy's Initial Intentions Behind Total’s Hit Single ‘Trippin’
Missy Elliott has a boatload of stories to share from over the course of her illustrious 20+ years in the music industry. As one of hip-hop’s greatest architects, the Virginia native has had a hand in the careers of some of the most celebrated and revered artists from across various genres.
As such, her Twitter account is a must-follow for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes stories behind some of the most culturally-defining moments in music history, hip-hop and R&B lore plus other countless gems that Elliott has to share.
On Sunday (October 18), the “Supa Dupa Fly” hitmaker took fans down memory lane back to the late ‘90s. Elliott shared a story from her time working with R&B group Total. Making their introduction on The Notorious B.I.G‘s rap classic, “Juicy,” the beloved girl group dominated the golden era of R&B with a litany of hits, including “Can’t You See, “What About Us,” and “Trippin.”
“Fun Fact.. My bro Puffy wasn’t gonna drop this as a Total 1st single. It was so different that I believe he felt it would be hard to work & I cried because I was like but it’s HOT” she recollected on Twitter. “Welp he finally gave in & dropped it & that shii went crazy.”
In a follow-up post Elliott commemorated the song’s 22th anniversary writing, “Total “Trippin” 1998 22 years ago!” she marveled. “I was creating the 2020 vibez in 98.”
Released in 1998 on their sophomore album Kima, Keisha, and Pam, “Trippin” remains one of Total’s biggest and most memorable hits to date. The single peaked at No. 3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
See Missy Elliott’s tweets below.
