One in a Million

Missy Elliott wrote "One in a Million" in a rap-singing style because, as a rapper, she did not know how to write songs for singers. She was scared to play the finished track to Aaliyah during the early stages of recording, worried that its sound was too different, but Aaliyah liked it immediately. Elliott later said the singer understood that a new sound was being created rather than the one currently popular. The session was one of the earliest collaborations between Aaliyah, Elliott, and producer Timbaland, alongside "If Your Girl Only Knew."

Blackground and Atlantic Records released the song to Rhythmic contemporary radio on November 12, 1996, as the third single from the album of the same title. It reached number 25 on the US Hot 100 Airplay chart and topped the Hot R&B Airplay chart, while a double A-side release with "If Your Girl Only Knew" brought it to number 15 in the United Kingdom. Radio stations were initially reluctant to play it, with program directors complaining about what they called "cricket sounds" in the production. One director in Chicago said he would not play a record containing crickets.

When Atlantic suggested a remix to make the track more radio-friendly, Blackground CEO Jomo Hankerson refused. He removed the two-inch reels and all the tapes from the studio so that no unauthorized remixes could be made, keeping the original version intact.