"Get Ur Freak On" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott. It was written and produced by Elliott and
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
for her third studio album '' Miss E... So Addictive'' (2001). Based on heavy bhangra elements, a popular music and dance form from the
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...
state of India, the song features a six-note base that is a Punjabi melody played on a
tumbi
The tumbi or toombi ( pa, ਤੂੰਬੀ, pronunciation: ''tūmbī''), also called a tumba or toomba, is a traditional musical instrument from the Punjab region of the northern Indian subcontinent. The high-pitched, single- string plucking ins ...
and rhythm and bassline played on
tabla
A tabla, bn, তবলা, prs, طبلا, gu, તબલા, hi, तबला, kn, ತಬಲಾ, ml, തബല, mr, तबला, ne, तबला, or, ତବଲା, ps, طبله, pa, ਤਬਲਾ, ta, தபலா, te, తబల ...
.
Released as the album's first single on March 13, 2001, the track reached number seven on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. Internationally, "Get Ur Freak On" became a top ten success in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, where it became her first solo top ten hit, peaking at number four. A remix of the song featuring
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
was a dance club hit during this period, and was used both in the soundtrack and in the background of the movie '' Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'' (2001) starring
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...
. The song is also heard in ''
The Rundown
''The Rundown'' (known internationally as ''Welcome to the Jungle'') is a 2003 American buddy action comedy film directed by Peter Berg and written by James Vanderbilt and R.J. Stewart. It stars Dwayne Johnson (credited as The Rock), Seann Will ...
'' (2003) starring
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the develop ...
Back in Black
''Back in Black'' is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC. It was released on 25 July 1980 by Albert Productions and Atlantic Records. It is the band's first album to feature lead singer Brian Johnson, following the death ...
") and ''
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
''The 40-Year-Old Virgin'' is a 2005 American romantic comedy film directed by Judd Apatow, who produced the film with Clayton Townsend and Shauna Robertson. It features Steve Carell as the titular 40-year-old virgin Andy, an employee at an e ...
'' (2005) starring
Steve Carell
Steven John Carell (; born August 16, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He played Michael Scott in ''The Office'' (2005–2011; 2013), NBC’s adaptation of the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, where Ca ...
.
In 2011, the song was listed 14th on ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' Best Songs of the 2000s. In 2004 and 2010, it was ranked at number 466 on their
500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...
. In the 2021 reranking, it was ranked at number 8. In 2002, "Get Ur Freak On" was named the best single released in the year 2001 by ''The Village Voice''s
Pazz & Jop
Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abs ...
annual year-end critics' poll. The song also lists at number seven on
Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
's Top 500 Songs of the 2000s and number 16 on VH1's Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop. In 2011, ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' placed it at number 17 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years". In April 2014, the song was remixed with
the Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums). The duo began as an independent act, recording music in basements and self-producing their ...
' song "Keep Me" for the original soundtrack to '' Neighbors'' (2014). It was heard once in the TV spots for '' Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween''.
On the ''Billboard'' magazine issue dated February 21, 2015, "Get Ur Freak On" re-entered at number 40, more than a decade after its original chart run. This re-entry was spawned by Missy Elliott's performance at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show that occurred earlier in the month.
Background
At the beginning of the song, a man says in Japanese: 「これからみんなでめちゃくちゃ踊って騒ごう、騒ごう。」 "''Kore kara minna de mechakucha odotte. Sawagou, sawagou''". Translated into English, it means: "Everyone start dancing together wildly now. Let's make some noise, let's make some noise." Before the second chorus (after Missy says ''"Let me throw you some"''), the song samples German artist
Karunesh
Karunesh ( sa, करुणेश, "God of Compassion"; born Bruno Reuter in 1956)Karunesh Dave Meyers. Rappers
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
,
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in New York City, he debuted in 1999 with '' Venni Vetti Vecci'' and its lead single " Holla Holla". Dur ...
Master P
Percy Robert Miller Sr. (born April 29, 1967), known by his stage name Master P, is an American rapper, record executive, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the record label No Limit Records, which was relaunched as ...
,
Spliff Star
William A. Lewis (born April 18, 1971), professionally known as Spliff Star, is an American rapper and record producer from Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York. He's best known for his work with Busta Rhymes. Both ''Vibe'' and ''Complex'' listed Spliff ...
,
Lil' Romeo
Percy Romeo Miller (born August 19, 1989), also known by his stage name Romeo (formerly Lil' Romeo), is an American rapper, actor, and television personality. He gained fame as a rapper in the early 2000s after signing with No Limit Records, the ...
,
Eve
Eve (; ; ar, حَوَّاء, Ḥawwāʾ; el, Εὕα, Heúa; la, Eva, Heva; Syriac: romanized: ) is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the ...
Nicole Wray
Nicole Monique Wray (born May 2, 1979), also known as Lady Wray, is an American singer and songwriter. Her 1998 debut single "Make It Hot" was certified gold.
Early life
Nicole Monique Wray was born on May 2, 1979, in Salinas, California, to ...
make cameo appearances in the video.
This tune was also utilized in
Bubba Sparxxx
Warren Anderson Mathis (born March 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American rapper from Georgia. His singles include "Deliverance", " Ugly" (both featuring Timbaland), and " Ms. New Booty" (featuring Ying Yang Twins ...
's debut single " Ugly", in whose video Elliott makes a cameo.
Track listings
US 12-inch single
:A1. "Get Ur Freak On" (album version) – 3:57
:A2. "Get Ur Freak On" (amended version) – 3:57
:B1. "Get Ur Freak On" (instrumental) – 3:53
:B2. "Get Ur Freak On" (a cappella) – 3:10
:B3. "Get Ur Freak On" (
TV track
A TV track is usually a song or a sequence used as accompaniment during a scene or visual sequence on television (i.e., commercials or television show). If a song has vocals, part of the vocals may be removed for voice-over or dialogue, while th ...
) – 3:58
UK 12-inch single
:A1. "Get Ur Freak On" (edit) – 3:31
:A2. "Get Ur Freak On" (album version) – 3:57
:B1. "Get Ur Freak On" (instrumental) – 3:53
:B2. "Get Ur Freak On" (a cappella) – 3:11
:B3. "Get Ur Freak On" (TV track) – 3:50
UK CD single
# "Get Ur Freak On" (edit) – 3:31
# "Get Ur Freak On" (amended version) – 3:57
# "Get Ur Freak On" (instrumental) – 3:53
UK cassette single and European CD single
# "Get Ur Freak On" (edit) – 3:31
# "Get Ur Freak On" (album version) – 3:57
Australian CD single
# "Get Ur Freak On" (edit) – 3:31
# "Get Ur Freak On" (radio edit—Bastone & Bernstien club mix) – 3:27
# "Get Ur Freak On" (amended version) – 3:57
# "Get Ur Freak On" (instrumental) – 3:53
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
Cover versions
In 2005, Scottish acoustic rocker KT Tunstall released her version of "Get Ur Freak On" performed for
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cotton ...
on certain versions of the single for " Suddenly I See".
Anda Adam
Anda Adam (born 27 April 1980) is a Romanian singer and model. She is best known for her singles " My Love on You" and " Panda Madam". Anda began her music career in 1999, after collaborating with Romanian band R.A.C.L.A. on the songs "Nu mă u ...
's single "Nai, Nai" from her debut album '' Confidențial'' (2005) samples the Elliot's track.
Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra released a surf rock rendition on the 2007 album "Hits the Hits."
American rock band
Eels
Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 19 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage ...
Shootenanny!
''Shootenanny!'' is the fifth studio album by American rock band Eels, released in 2003 by record label DreamWorks.
Background
While lead singer Mark Oliver "E" Everett was working on the double disc '' Blinking Lights and Other Revelations ...
tour several years previously.
On the comedy show ''
Fonejacker
''Fonejacker'' is a British comedy programme broadcast on E4 featuring a series of prank calls involving a number of different characters performed by British Iranian television actor Kayvan Novak. It first appeared in May 2006 and became a fu ...
'', the track was parodied by
Kayvan Novak
Kayvan Novak ( fa, کیوان نواک; born 23 November 1977) is a British actor and comedian.Kadivar, DariuSyriana breaks Iranian stereotypes, ''Persian Mirror''. Retrieved 3 August 2007. He co-created and starred in the comedy series '' Fon ...
as he tried to get "Sounds of the Universe" record shop manager Jon Burnip, to identify the track by singing the tune with nonsensical lyrics.
In Britney Spears' Britney: Piece of Me revamped Vegas residency show, "Get Ur Freak On" was performed as a medley along with other Elliott songs.
Though not covered, the melody of the song was sampled in the song “ILoveYourAunt” by American rappers A$AP Ferg and $ki Mask the Slump God.
Japanese experimental music group Satanicpornocultshop sampled lyrics from "Get Ur Freak On" in their 2010 song " .i.p.Tide."