Elliott is one of the first female hip hop superstars, known for a long series of hits including "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", "Hit 'Em Wit Da Hee", "Get Ur Freak On", "One Minute Man", "Work It", and "Lose Control". In addition she has received recognition as one of the most successful songwriters of the modern music era, having crafted a number of hit records for artists such as Aaliyah, 702, Total, Ciara, Nicole Wray and Tweet, often with production-partner and childhood friend Timbaland. She was the third female rapper to ever go Platinum, behind Lil' Kim and Da Brat.
Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, she began her career in the all-girl R&B group, Sista in 1993. Eventually, the band folded and Elliott began her career as a solo rapper. Since the early 1990's, Elliott has won six Grammys, recently scoring one for her video of "Lose Control."
Other releases are 'Teary Eyed' and 'We Run This', and the last of these two songs will be the main single of the new greatest hits album titled 'Respect M.E.: Best Of' featuring 17 tracks from her six albums.
Without Me
Missy Elliott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Really gon' make me
Expose you for exactly what you are,
You are
And I'm feeling a little wavy,
So right now I don't mind pulling your card. (Fakin' shit will kill you)
Boy I know the real you
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
And as hard as you try,
To hide reality, why?
We know the truth,
So act brand-new if you want to
But what would you be
Without me?
What would you be
Without me?
So what? You blowing up just a little,
They knowing you a little,
Don't give a finger in the middle
'Cause little nigga, you would never be
Without me
Where would you be
Without me?
So what you blowing up just a little,
They knowing you a little,
Don't give a finger in the middle,
'Cause little nigga you would never be (oh na, na, oh na)
Oh na, na, oh na
Oh na, na, oh na
Oh na, na, oh na
You tell me that you make big moves
But tell 'em what you really do
Do you really wanna play this game? (Fakin' shit will kill you)
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
You should tell 'em what you really like
Tell 'em you ain't bout that life,
I put you on, I let you shine,
That use of light, shit blows my mind oh
And as hard as you try,
To hide reality, why?
We know the truth,
So act brand-new if you want to
But what would you be
Without me?
What would you be
Without me?
So what? You blowing up just a little,
They knowing you a little,
Don't give a finger in the middle
'Cause little nigga, you would never be
Without me
Where would you be
Without me?
So what you blowing up just a little,
They knowing you a little,
Don't give a finger in the middle,
'Cause little nigga you would never be (Oh na, na, oh na)
Boy you think I'm stupid?
What you think I'm clueless?
You keeṗ chasing them girls
Boy you get their deuces
I'm sick of your excuses without me how can you do it?
Do bad all by myself, nigga you're just useless
Dude I don't need your sex (your sex)
I'm moving to the next (the next)
You frontin man, you stuntin man you're worser than my ex
Hahaha-ha-ha you think that shit funny?
We know the truth boy, keep it one hundred
And as hard as you try,
To hide reality, why?
We know the truth,
So act brand-new if you want to
But what would you be
Without me?
What would you be
Without me?
So what? You blowing up just a little,
They knowing you a little,
Don't give a finger in the middle
'Cause little nigga, you would never be
Without me
Where would you be
Without me?
So what you blowing up just a little,
They knowing you a little,
Don't give a finger in the middle,
'Cause little nigga you would never be (Oh na, na, oh na)
Oh na, na, oh na
Oh na, na, oh na
Oh na, na, oh na
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
The lyrics to Missy Elliott's song Without Me are all about calling out someone who is faking their success and fame. The repeated line "Fakin' shit will kill you, boy I know the real you" emphasizes the idea that pretending to be someone or something you're not will ultimately lead to failure. Missy confronts this person, threatening to expose them and pull their card. She questions what they would be without her, suggesting she helped them become successful, and challenges them to be honest about who they really are.
Throughout the song, Missy highlights the importance of being true to oneself and not trying to live up to a false image. The overall message is that success should come from authenticity, hard work, and being honest about one's experiences and talents. The song speaks to the tendency in music and entertainment to create an ideal image rather than being true to personal experiences and struggles.
Overall, Without Me is a powerful and empowering song that encourages listeners to be true to themselves and not to fall into the trap of faking their way to success.
Line by Line Meaning
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Being dishonest will have negative consequences.
Boy I know the real you.
I am aware of your true character.
Really gon' make me
Expose you for exactly what you are,
You are
And I'm feeling a little wavy,
So right now I don't mind pulling your card. (Fakin' shit will kill you)
Boy I know the real you
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
You are tempting me to reveal the truth about your true nature, and I am willing to do so without hesitation.
And as hard as you try,
To hide reality, why?
We know the truth,
So act brand-new if you want to
Despite your attempts to conceal the truth, it is still known to us, and you should not pretend to be something you are not.
But what would you be
Without me?
You are nothing without my support and assistance.
So what? You blowing up just a little,
They knowing you a little,
Don't give a finger in the middle
'Cause little nigga, you would never be
Without me
Where would you be
Without me?
Even if you are experiencing some success or recognition, do not forget that it is only possible because of me and my influence.
You tell me that you make big moves
But tell 'em what you really do
Do you really wanna play this game? (Fakin' shit will kill you)
Boy I know the real you.
Fakin' shit will kill you,
Boy I know the real you.
You claim to be making significant progress, but I know you are deceiving yourself and others.
You should tell 'em what you really like
Tell 'em you ain't bout that life,
I put you on, I let you shine,
That use of light, shit blows my mind oh
You should be honest about your true values and not try to be something you are not, as I have helped you to achieve success and shine.
Boy you think I'm stupid?
What you think I'm clueless?
You keep chasing them girls
Boy you get their deuces
I'm sick of your excuses without me how can you do it?
Do bad all by myself, nigga you're just useless
You believe I am naive or ignorant, but I know you pursue women and they reject you. I am tired of your justifications and excuses, and you are insignificant in comparison to my own accomplishments and abilities.
Dude I don't need your sex (your sex)
I'm moving to the next (the next)
You frontin man, you stuntin man, you're worser than my ex
Hahaha-ha-ha you think that shit funny?
We know the truth boy, keep it one hundred
I am not interested in your sexual advances, and I am moving on to someone new. You are pretending to be someone you are not and are worse than my previous partner. Your attempts to make light of the situation show your lack of sincerity, and the truth is obvious to everyone.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: HARMONY SAMUELS, MISSY ELLIOTT, AL LAMBERT, KYLE STEWART, FANTASIA BARRINO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ArtyStackz
Song STILL hard! Who still listening in 2024?🙌🏾
@setapartmindset8859
Me!
@motsatsionnicah947
Never left
@jyarmstrong3482
Stayed on repeat since it came out
@MarquisHill-bk3jy
Me bro!!! lol I never listen to rnb until I heard this
@kaitstvns
Me girl
@autumnnewby8655
Anyone here in 2024?❤️🔥
@tyresebravo7578
Who's with me on this in 2024?💯🔥💯🔥
@shaunphillips3236
Still listening in 2024. Shit still knocks
@TheLilDeyDey
3 dark skin beauty queens.