Gossip Folks
Intro: Missy Elliott
Yo, yo yo move out of the wayWe got Missy Elliott coming throughGirl, that is Missy Elliott she lost a lot of weightI heard she eat one cracker a dayGirl, well I heard the bitch was married to Tim' and started fuckin' with TrinaI heard the bitch got hit by three zebras and a monkeyI can't stand the bitch no wayVerse 1: Missy Elliott
When I walk up in the pieceI ain't gotta even speakI'm a bad mamajamaGoddammit, motherfucker, you ain't gotta like meHow you stuntin' these hoes?Need to talk, what you knowAnd stop talkin' 'bout who I'm stickin' and lickin'Just mad it ain't yoursI know y'all poor, y'all brokeY'all job just hangin' up clothesStep to me, get burnt like toastMotherfuckers, adios, amigosHop, hop, pose, poseI don't brag, I mostly boastFrom the VA to the LA coastIzzo kizzay, lezzy gohChorus: Missy Elliott
Millze cillzan sillzome plilzay dilzzouble dilzutchHilzzoo?My gizzirlBrillzing her izzinIzzo kizzayIzzall rizzightIzzo kizzayIzzall rizzight! Nizzow wizzee wilzzo-izzo-zeeVerse 2: Missy Elliott
When I pull up in my whipBitches wanna talk shitI'm drivin', I'm glidin', I'm stylin'And these motherfuckers ask, "Did you see it?"I'm grippin' these curbsSkrrt, did ya heard?I love 'em, my feathers, my furs, ahhI fly like a birdChickenheads on the prowlWho you tryna **** now?Now you ain't gettin' loudBetter calm down 'fore I smack your ass downI need my drums, bass, high hatHas to be my snare, strings, horns, yesI need my Tim' sound, right, leftIzzo kizzay, looky hereChorus
Millze cillzan sillzome plilzay dilzzouble dilzutchHilzzoo?My gizzirlBrillzing her izzinIzzo kizzayIzzall rizzightIzzo kizzayIzzall rizzight! Nizzow wizzee wilzzo-izzo-zeeBridge: Missy
I don't go out my house, shorty, you just waitin' to seeWho I’m gon' roll up in the club with then report that next weekJust wanna see who I am ****, boy sniffing some cokeI know by the time I finish this line, I'ma hear this on the radioVerse 3: Ludacris
Yeah, uh huh, okayOnce upon a time in College ParkWhere they live life fast and they scared of darkThere was a little nigga by the name of ChrisNobody paid him any mind, no one gave a shitKnowin' he could rap, no one lifted handsSo he went about his business and devised a planMade a CD and then he hit the blockFifty thousand sold, seven dollars a popHold the phone, three years laterStepped out the swamp in ten-and-a-half gatorsNow all around the world on the microphoneHe leave the booth smellin' like Burberry cologneStill ridin' chromeGot bitches in the kitchen, never home aloneAnd he's on the grindPlease let me know if he's on your mindAnd respect, you'll give meLudacris, I live loud like Timmay (Uh)Fuck, have to clear these rumorsI got a headache, and it's not a tumorGet up on my lap and get my head tucked tightSprayed, so I never let the bedbugs biteHard to the core, core to the rottenJump down, turn around, pick a bale of cottonYahh!Chorus: Missy Elliott
Millze cillzan sillzome plilzay dilzzouble dilzutchHilzzoo?My gizzirlBrillzing her izzinIzzo kizzayIzzall rizzightIzzo kizzayIzzall rizzight! Nizzow wizzee wilzzo-izzo-zeeOutro: Missy Elliott
Yo, straight up Missy killed that shit tonight for realI know, I know, I don't really care about her being pregnant by Michael JacksonYou know what we should do?We should go get her album when it come outThere she go, there she go, there she—Hi MissyHi Missy?What's up fools?You think I ain't knowin y'all broke, Milli VanilliJ.J. Fad wannabes ain't over here gossipin' 'bout me?Yo, how bout you buff these Pumas for twenty centsSo your lights won't get cut offYou soggy breasts, cow stomachsYo, take those baby GAP shirts off, tooYou just mad 'cause Payless ran outa plastic pumps for the after partyYo, by the way, go get my albumDamnOutro: Missy Elliott
Millze cillzan sillzome plilzay dilzzouble dilzutchHilzzoo?My gizzirlBrillzing her izzinWhat the song means
"Gossip Folks" is a playful, defiant track by Missy Elliott, with a verse from Ludacris. It opens with a crowd of rumors about her: her weight, her love life, and a string of absurd stories told to make her look ridiculous. Instead of hiding, she turns the gossip into a reason to show off. Her verses are full of boasts about her style, her car, and her confidence, and she dismisses the people talking about her as jealous and broke.
The middle of the song builds this attitude into a kind of challenge. Her bridge suggests that the people watching her are waiting for her next move so they can talk about it, which makes her seem more amused than hurt. Ludacris then tells a rags-to-riches story about his own rise from College Park, showing what it looks like to succeed when others doubted him. The chorus, built on rhythmic nonsense syllables, works more like a party chant than a message, which keeps the mood light even when the lyrics are harsh.
The key images are the "chickenheads," a slang term for gossipy, shallow people, and the mocking reference to Milli Vanilli, a duo exposed for lip-syncing. Both point to the same idea: the song is about fake people and empty talk, and Missy's answer is to stay confident, keep working, and let her music speak for itself. The outro ends on that note, with her telling listeners to go buy her album.
Key phrases explained
- chickenheads
- gossipy, shallow people (slang) — Slang for people who spread gossip and cause drama, a main target of the song.
- get burnt like toast
- get destroyed or humiliated — An idiom she uses to warn rivals who try to challenge her.
- Milli Vanilli
- a pop duo exposed for lip-syncing, a symbol of fakes — A cultural reference she uses to mock people she sees as fake or copycats.
- stuntin'
- showing off, flaunting wealth or style — Slang from "stunt," describing the flashy behavior she sees in others.
- bad mamajama
- a very impressive, attractive woman — Old-school slang she uses to describe herself with confidence.
Song info
- Release date
- 2002-11-12
- Album
- Under Construction
- Written by
- Ludacris, Timbaland, Missy Elliott
- Produced by
- Timbaland, Missy Elliott
- Featuring
- Ludacris
- Samples
- Frankie Smith – Double Dutch Bus
- Interpolates
- Slick Rick – Children’s Story
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