Missy Elliott Fans Are Just Now Figuring Out What She’s Saying In ‘Work It’

Missy Elliott hasn’t released an album in 12 years, but ever since she stole the Super Bowl halftime show from Katy Perry (this was before the words “Super Bowl” and “stole” took on a different meaning), she’s kept busy. “Misdemeanor” has put out a handful of new singles (including the new Ghostbusters theme with Fall Out Boy), appeared alongside fellow luminaries Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pepa at VH1’s Hip Hop Honors, joined Michelle Obama and James Corden on “Carpool Karaoke,” and declared “I’m Better.” Oh, and Hillary Clinton praised her “dazzling” talent. Elliott, who’s headlining the incredible FYF Fest with Frank Ocean and Nine Inch Nails, is constantly looking forward, but her fans just discovered something from her past.

Everyone knows “Work It.” The first single from Elliott’s best-selling album, Under Construction, which was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys (it lost to OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below), was a cross-genre hit that you still can’t go 20 minutes without hearing on the radio. But have you ever looked at the lyrics for “Work It”? A lot of people haven’t, apparently, and they’re just now realizing what Elliott is saying in the hook.

Is it worth it? Let me work it
I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it
Ti esrever dna ti pilf, nwod gniht ym tup
Ti esrever dna ti pilf, nwod gniht ym tup

“Ti esrever dna ti pilf, nwod gniht ym tup” is literally what happens when “I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it” is literally flipped and reversed. (It’s a real “Yvan eht Nioj” moment.) This lyrical revelation is blowing minds.

https://twitter.com/sjames_fit/status/843994114333065216

https://twitter.com/yolandaestrello/status/844611357240688641

https://twitter.com/sydneyfinchum/status/845096306486005760

https://twitter.com/rbartonshaw/status/844912084294889472

Some people aren’t impressed, though.

But Elliott still tweeted a shoutout to everyone who just realized her genius.

Wait until the internet finds out what John Lennon is saying “Rain.”

(Via Twitter)