Missy Elliott

It's a rare occasion that we see one of hip-hop's biggest stars on Brittish shores which is probably why expectations are so astronomically high for Missy Elliot tonight at the Brixton Academy. Indeed, it is her first show on this side of the Atlantic for just over four years and the audience crammed inside the venue are fanatical to say the very least. But after two hours of waiting with only Brittish wannabe Shariis to entertain us the stakes are well and truly raised for when the larger than life superstar hits the stage.

Now, it's not that Missy is bad tonight by any stretch of the imagination. It's just that when she opens with a raucios 'She's a Bitch followed up straight by fellow single 'All in My Grill you begin to smell the proverbial rat. To open with two of your biggest hits is something virtually unheard of, but when it's followed by the breakthrough smash 'Supa Dupa Fly (Da rain), tonight dedicated to all the old skool Missy Elliot fans, you wonder what she's saving for the middle and end of the show. And the answer is simple.....chat,chat,chat,chat. Indeed we get every single Missy has ever released, 'Get Ur Freak On' sounding never better in particular, plus two tracks from new album 'Missy E.....So Addictive' but for the rest of the two hours she's on stage it's just talking. Sure enough there was the mildly amusing Missy Elluiot Talen contest but when the majority of the crowd have paid inexcess of £20 for a ticket, you want a bit more than just seeing a few audience members make complete tits of themself. Missy even proceeds to walk through the crowd for all of twenty minutes saying not much in particular. It's just a complete waste of both time and money!

The verdict of tonights performance is a simple one, when banging out the hits, Missy (Flanked by the rare occurance of an entire backing band) is unstoppable. To hear and see tracks like 'Lick Shots' is an amazing sight. But when you've paid twenty quid to see Missy Elliot play 8 songs and be backed by the promise of big name friends (consisting of one lil' Mo someone we will probably never ever see again) you leave the venue feeling empty, ripped-off and wondering if you actually saw her play any songs. Shame really.