MISSY Elliott may be hip-hop's ultimate diva but at this London show, the audience were definitely the ones in charge and they weren't about to be kept waiting.

After a painfully protracted introduction by a DJ who couldn't get the party started in a room full of hyperactive five-year-olds but plugged a nearby club night over and over again instead, the booing started. Apparently, Missy's fans are every bit as high- maintenance as the lady herself.

The mood soon changed when the tracksuit-wearing star herself turned up though, joined by her crew of energetic dancers, an MC and a DJ. Helped down from the platform she first appeared on by a burly security guard, Missy zoomed across the tiny stage on a motorised buggy (no, really). Luckily, it transpired she is not just lazy but has recently had leg surgery - and her white sheepskin boot was a trendy celebrity version of the humble cast rather than a fashion statement.

Once she was off her buggy, though, it was virtually impossible to tell there was anything wrong with Missy.

She limped occasionally but seemed to forget the pain during songs and danced on the spot as she rapped through hits like Get Ur Freak On and Work It, even climbing down into the photographers' pit in front of the stage to get closer to her fans.

Certainly, Missy is a born entertainer. She threw signed shirts out into the crowd, chatted like we were all old friends and barely stopped inciting everyone to sing along louder.

She may not have been as mobile as she would have liked but it clearly takes more than a bad leg to stop Missy putting on a good show.THE SET LISTBad Man

We Run This

One Minute Man Gossip Folks

On & On

Get Ur Freak On

All In My Grill

The Rain

Melt Down

Interlude featuring Jessica Betts

Work It

Pass That Dutch I'm Really Hot I'm Really Hot Remix

Lose Control Rock The Boat

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