Missy Elliott featuring Timbaland - 9th Inning (Snippet)

It’s been a long seven years since Missy Elliott released her last full-length studio album, The Cookbook. Even though we’ve heard her on songs here and there such as J. Cole’s “Nobody’s Perfect,” the legendary rap songstress has been for the most part absent from the public’s ear for quite a while now. But that might change now that Elliott’s eighth LP is on its way. Although no release date has been unveiled for it yet and the title, Block Party, is only tentative, we’ve finally received a taste of what is rumored to be the first track to be liberated from it. This song, “9th Inning,” showcases the 41-year-old spitting bars over a beat by her longtime collaborator and friend Timbaland like she has something to prove. With five Grammy awards on her shelves, six platinum plaques on her walls and sales of over seven million albums under her belt, there’s no arguing that her effect on music and culture has been anything short of profound. But with a legacy like she has, perhaps she has a lot to live up to. Is “9th Inning” a strong return for one of the most renowned, influential figures in hip-hop? We’ll let you be the judge. Leave your thoughts below, but keep in mind that this is only a 90-second snippet.