This Is Not a Test!

This Is Not a Test!
Studio album by Missy Elliott
Released November 25, 2003
(see release history)
Recorded 2002–2003
Genre Hip hop, R&B
Length 56:05
Label Goldmind/Elektra
Producer Missy Elliott (exec.), Timbaland (exec.), Jay Brown (exec.), Craig Brockman, Nisan Stewart, Soul Diggaz
Missy Elliott chronology

Under Construction
(2002)		 This Is Not a Test!
(2003)		 The Cookbook
(2005)
Singles from This Is Not a Test!
  1. "Pass That Dutch"
    Released: October 14, 2003
  2. "I'm Really Hot"
    Released: March 23, 2004

This Is Not a Test! is the fifth studio album by American rapper Missy Elliott, released by The Goldmind Inc. and Elektra Records on November 25, 2003 in the United States. It was primarily produced by Timbaland, with additional production from Craig Brockman, Nisan Stewart and Elliott herself.

The album received generally favorable reviews from critics and debuted at number thirteen on the Billboard 200, selling 143,600 copies in the first week of release. It has sold 690,000 copies in the United States and has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Blender [2]
Entertainment Weekly (B)[3]
The Guardian [4]
NME [5]
Pitchfork Media (8.5/10)[6]
Rolling Stone [7]
Robert Christgau (A)[8]
Slant Magazine [9]
Stylus Magazine B+[10]

Reviews for the album have been generally favorable. Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone gave the album four out of five stars, saying, "Why anybody would choose to spend their life without a copy of This Is Not a Test! is a mystery."[11] Dan Martin of NME gave the album eight out of ten stars, saying the album was "all about the beats" and "not a right lot else", adding it was "Missy's most uncompromising work yet".[12] Nick Catucci of Blender gave the album three out of five stars, saying the album "lacks feeling" and asked, "besides beats, what else does she care about?"[13] John Bush of Allmusic gave the album three out of five stars, saying the album "is an effective argument for song-by-song downloads."[14] This Is Not a Test! placed on Slant Magazine's list of best albums of the 2000s at number 87.[15]

The album debuted at number thirteen on the Billboard 200, selling 143,600 copies in the first week of release.[16] It has sold 690,000 copies in the United States and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA.[17][18]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Baby Girl Interlude/Intro" (featuring Mary J. Blige)
 2:13
2. "Bomb Intro/Pass That Dutch"  
  • Elliott
  • Mosley
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
 3:37
3. "Wake Up"" (featuring Jay-Z)
  • Elliott
  • Mosley
  • Shawn Carter
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
 4:06
4. "Keep It Movin'" (featuring Elephant Man)
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
 3:39
5. "Is This Our Last Time" (featuring Fabolous)
 5:26
6. "Ragtime Interlude/I'm Really Hot"  
  • Elliott
  • TImbaland
 3:30
7. "Dats What I'm Talkin About" (featuring R. Kelly)
  • Elliott
  • Stewart
  • Brockman
  • Kelly
 4:48
8. "Don't Be Cruel" (featuring Monica & Beenie Man)
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
 4:33
9. "Toyz Interlude/Toyz"  
  • Elliott
  • Mosley
  • Brockman
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
  • Brockman
 2:52
10. "Let It Bump"  
  • Elliott
  • Mosley
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
 2:50
11. "Pump It Up" (featuring Nelly)
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
 3:05
12. "It's Real"  
  • Elliott
  • Brockman
  • Elliott
  • Brockman
 2:52
13. "Let Me Fix My Weave"  
  • Elliott
  • Mosley
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
 3:59
14. "Spelling Bee Interlude/Spelling Bee"  
  • Elliott
  • Mosley
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
 3:34
15. "I'm Not Perfect" (featuring The Clark Sisters)
  • Elliott
  • Stewart
  • Brockman
  • Elliott
  • Stewart
  • Brockman
 3:49
16. "Outro" (featuring Mary J. Blige)
  • Elliott
  • Mosley
  • Elliott
  • Timbaland
 1:21

Sample credits

Personnel
  • Missy Elliott – vocals, producer, executive producer
  • Patricia Elliott – A&R
  • Fabolous – vocals, guest appearance
  • Roberto Fantauzzi – photo production
  • Linda Fields – background vocals
  • Andre Johnson – coordination
  • Claudine Joseph – product manager
  • R. Kelly – vocals, guest appearance
  • Michael Kennedy – prop design
  • Scott Kieklak – mixing
  • Safiya Lewis – coordination
  • Nelly – vocals, guest appearance
  • Lili Picou – design
  • Herb Powers – mastering
  • Chris Puram – engineer
  • Senator Jimmy D – mixing
  • Nisan Stewart – producer
  • Timbaland – producer, executive producer

Charts and certifications

Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart[19] 39
Austrian Albums Chart[19] 67
Belgian Albums Charts (Flanders)[20] 32
Dutch Albums Chart[19] 44
French Albums Chart[19] 63
German Albums Chart[19] 37
Netherlands Albums Chart[20] 44
New Zealand Albums Chart[19] 35
Swedish Albums Chart[19] 50
Swiss Albums Chart[19] 25
U.S. Billboard 200[21] 13
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[21] 3
UK Albums Chart[19] 49

Certifications

Country Certification
Australia (ARIA) Gold[22]
Canada (Music Canada) Gold[23]
United Kingdom (BPI) Gold[24]
United States (RIAA) Platinum[18]

Release history

Region Date
Germany November 24, 2003
United Kingdom
Canada November 25, 2003
France
Japan
United States

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ Blender review
  3. ↑ Entertainment Weekly review
  4. ↑ The Guardian review
  5. ↑ NME review
  6. ↑ Pitchfork Media review
  7. ↑ Rolling Stone review
  8. ↑ Robert Christgau review
  9. ↑ Slant Magazine review
  10. ↑ Stylus Magazine review
  11. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (2003-12-02). "Missy Elliott: This Is Not A Test!: Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  12. ↑ Martin, Dan (2003-12-03). "Elliott, Missy: This Is Not A Test!". NME. Robert Tame. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  13. ↑ Catucci, Nick. "Missy Elliott: This Is Not A Test Review". Blender. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  14. ↑ Bush, John. "This Is Not a Test! - Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  15. ↑ "Best of the Aughts: Albums". Slant Magazine. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  16. ↑ Martens, Todd. "Jay-Z Back Atop The Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  17. ↑ Whitmire, Margo (2005-07-13). "R. Kelly 'Reloads' At No. 1". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Gold & Platinum: Elliott, Missy". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 19.7 19.8 "Missy Elliott - This Is Not A Test! - Music Charts". αCharts. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Missy Elliott - This Is Not a Test! (album)". Ultratop. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "AMG: Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
  22. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  23. ↑ "Searchable Database - Gold & Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  24. ↑ "BPI Certified Awards Search" (insert "Missy Elliott" into the "Search" box, and then select "Go"). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2012-06-13.