Missy Elliot says her classic “Oops (Oh My)” has a completely different meaning than what we previously thought.
Art is always open for interpretation, but sometimes the public comes up with an entirely different meaning for a project than what the artist intended. According to Missy Elliot, that is what happened with her and Tweet’s collaborative classic, “Oops (Oh My).” The single dropped in 2002 when Missy was one of the hottest recording artists in the game, and Tweet was a sexy young R&B star. The song and video seem to contain suggestive lyrics and images that reference Tweet spending an evening alone pleasuring herself, but also carried a catchy beat that made the track fun and club worthy.
When a fan recently tweeted, “Tweet said Masturbation but make it a Bop,”, Missy thought it was time to set the record straight about the true meaning behind the song. “#Funfact,” began Missy. “This song was never bout Masturbation it was always about her appreciating her Dark Skin (Self Love) when she looked in the mirror.”
She continued to explain how the interpretation of the track evolved as it became a hit, saying, “It was the listeners that thought it was about sex & just ran with it…& we just let the consumers mind create what they wanted.”
#Funfact this song was never bout Masturbation it was always about her appreciating her Dark Skin (Self Love)when she looked in the mirror? it was the listeners that thought it was about sex & just ran with it… & we just let the consumers mind create what they wanted?? https://t.co/Vd9NHfuzJR
— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) January 5, 2021
Missy went on to add that while the original meaning behind the song was much more wholesome, sometimes it is best to let imaginations run wild, saying, “Not interested in ruining a good story we just let the consumers mind create what they wanted.” The song was destined to become a hit, whether its message was about physical self-love or the more emotional kind. Produced by Timbaland, who was and remains one of the greatest producers in hip hop, the track peaked at number seven on the charts and only further solidified Tweet and Missy Elliot as powerhouses in music.
