The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)

"The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" is the debut solo single by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott. It was written and composed by Don Bryant, Bernard "Bernie" Miller, Elliott, and producer Timbaland for her debut album Supa Dupa Fly (1997) and contains a sample of Ann Peebles' 1973 single "I Can't Stand the Rain", whose lyrics serve as the chorus.

The song was released to US radio stations on May 20, 1997, and the Hype Williams-directed video was released to video shows starting June 3, 1997. The song entered the Hot R&B Airplay chart in mid-June, and peaked at number 6 the week of August 9, 1997. It peaked at number 51 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart the following week. It was released as the album's lead single on July 2, 1997, and reached the top twenty in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The song's moans are used as a sample in Method Man & Redman's "The ?"

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Elliott commits more than a misdemeanor with her first solo single, "The Rain". Having scored a handful of hits writing and producing for such acts as Aaliyah, 702, SWV and Ginuwine, Elliott attempts to hide the fact that she was lazy with her own lyrics and depended on a Timbaland beat to save her. The result is a little of her infamous wordplay atop an ineffectual bass, snare, and drum beat. One can only hope that she puts more time and effort into her upcoming album, "Hit 'Em With The Heat", as we don't want to see such a rising star burn out so fast." VH1 ranked the song 99th on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s. In 2010 Pitchfork Media included the song at number 33 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s. In 2000, "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" was named the fourth-best single of 1997 by The Village VoiceTemplate:'s annual-year end Pazz & Jop critics' poll. Stereogum and Paste ranked the song number three and number four, respectively, on their lists of the 10 greatest Missy Elliott Songs. In 2021, it was listed at No. 453 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Music video

The breakout music video for the song was the first of Missy's career directed by Hype Williams. The video was designed by Ron Norsworthy. The most notable aspect of the video is the patent leather blow up suit, which resembles an inflated trash bag that Missy wears during a fisheye lens shot. Timbaland, Tamara Johnson-George of SWV, Yo-Yo, Lil' Kim, Total, 702, Da Brat, Lil' Cease, and Sean Combs all make cameos. The video was nominated for Best Rap Video at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards but lost to The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize". In 2023, Rolling Stone placed the video at #1 on their list of 150 Best Rap Music Videos of All Time.

Legacy

The song was used in a 2016 Coca-Cola commercial featuring professional golfer Jordan Spieth. At the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, Elliot performed a medley of her songs, including "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)".

In 2024 the song was beamed to the planet Venus by NASA's Deep Space Network “I still can’t believe I’m going out of this world with NASA through the Deep Space Network when ‘The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)’ becomes the first ever hip-hop song to transmit to space!” said Elliott. “I chose Venus because it symbolizes strength, beauty, and empowerment and I am so humbled to have the opportunity to share my art and my message with the universe!”.

Formats and track listings

1. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Radio Edit) - 4:05
2. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Desert Eagles Discs Remix - Radio Edit Master) - 3:57
3. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Instrumental) - 4:09

German 12" Remixes

Side A

1. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Club 100 Version) - 5:10
2. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Radio Edit) - 3:46

Side B

1. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (House Version) - 7:25

German CD Maxi-Single

1. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Radio Edit) - 3:59
2. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Desert Eagle Discs Remix - Radio Edit Master) - 3:53
3. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Desert Eagle Discs Remix - Master) - 4:32
4. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Desert Eagle Discs Remix - Beat & All Vocals) - 4:20
5. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Desert Eagle Discs Remix - A cappella) - 4:04
6. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Instrumental Version) - 4:11
7. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (A cappella version) - 4:08

U.S. 12-inch Promo

Side A

1. "Supa Dupa Fly (The Rain)" (Album Version) - 4:11
2. "Supa Dupa Fly (The Rain)" (Instrumental) - 4:11

Side B

1. "Supa Dupa Fly (The Rain)" (Radio Edit) - 3:59
2. "Supa Dupa Fly (The Rain)" (A cappella) - 4:11

U.S. 12-inch Single

Side A

1. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Radio Edit) - 3:59
2. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Instrumental Version) - 4:11
3. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (A cappella version) - 4:08

Side B

1. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Desert Eagles Discs Remix - Master) - 4:32
2. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Desert Eagles Discs Remix - A cappella) - 4:04
3. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Desert Eagles Discs Remix - Beat & All Vocals) - 4:20

U.S. CD Maxi-Single

1. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Radio Edit) - 4:05
2. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Desert Eagles Discs Remix - Radio Edit Master) - 3:57
3. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (Instrumental) - 4:09

Charts

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Chart performance for "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)"

Chart (1997)	Peak position

External links

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