Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot,
is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with
R&B girl group
Sista in the early-mid 1990s and later became a member of the
Swing Mob
Swing Mob (sometimes known as Da Bassment Cru) was an R&B/hip hop collective consisting of artists and record labels first discovered by Jodeci member DeVante Swing. The artists on Swing Mob included: Missy Elliott with the group Sista, Timbal ...
collective along with childhood friend and longtime collaborator
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
, with whom she worked on projects for American R&B acts
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and "Q ...
,
702,
Total
Total may refer to:
Mathematics
* Total, the summation of a set of numbers
* Total order, a partial order without incomparable pairs
* Total relation, which may also mean
** connected relation (a binary relation in which any two elements are comp ...
, and
SWV. Following several collaborations and guest appearances, she launched her solo career in 1997 with her debut album ''
Supa Dupa Fly'', which spawned the top 20 single "
Sock It 2 Me". The album debuted at number three on the
''Billboard'' 200, the highest charting debut for a female rapper at the time.
Elliott's second album, ''
Da Real World
''Da Real World'' is the second studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released on June 22, 1999, by Elektra and The Goldmind. The album is noted for adding a raunchier and darker style to Elliott's music, as well as inclu ...
'', was released in 1999 and produced the singles "
She's a Bitch", "
All n My Grill", and top five hit "
Hot Boyz". The remix of the latter song broke the record for most weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart on the issue dated January 15, 2000, as well as spending 18 weeks at number one on the Hot Rap Singles chart from December 1999 to March 2000. With the release of ''
Miss E... So Addictive'' (2001), ''
Under Construction'' (2002), and ''
This Is Not a Test'' (2003), Elliott established an international career that yielded hits including "
Get Ur Freak On", "
One Minute Man", "
4 My People", "
Gossip Folks", and "
Work It". The latter won her a
Grammy Award for Best Female Rap Solo Performance.
She released her first
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. , titled ''
Iconology'' in 2019.
Elliott has been referred to as the "
Queen of Rap" by media outlets. She has sold over 30 million records in the United States. Her accolades include four
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
. She is the best-selling female rapper in
Nielsen Music history, according to ''
Billboard'' in 2017. She became the first female rapper inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame and received the MTV VMAs
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for her impact on the music video landscape. In 2020, ''Billboard'' ranked her at number five on the 100 Greatest Music Video Artists of All Time. In 2021, she was honored with a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
.
Early life
Melissa Arnette Elliott
was born on July 1, 1971,
at
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval ...
.
[Cutchins, Rebecca Myers (February 25, 1998). "Missy's Mom Pat Elliott of Portsmouth Talks About the Lifelong Ambitions of her Daughter, Grammy-nominated Rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott". ''The Virginian-Pilot'' (Norfolk, Virginia). p. E1.] She is the only child of mother Patricia Elliott, a power-company dispatcher, and father Ronnie, a former
U.S. Marine.
Elliott grew up in an active church choir family, and singing was a normal part of her youth. At the age of four, she wanted to be a performer, and, as biographer Veronica A. Davis writes, she "would sing and perform for her family". In later years, she feared no one would take her seriously, because she was always the class clown
''Class Clown'' is the fourth album released by American comedian George Carlin. It was recorded on May 27, 1972 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California, and released in September.
Background
At the time Carlin was re ...
. While her father was an active Marine, the family lived in Jacksonville, North Carolina
Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the 14th-largest city in North Carolina. Jacksonville is the county seat and most populous commu ...
, in a manufactured home community.[ Elliott blossomed during this part of her life. She enjoyed school for the friendships that she formed even though she had little interest in schoolwork. She would later get well above average marks on intelligence tests,][ and she was advanced two years ahead of her former class.][ Her move in grades caused isolation, and she purposely failed, eventually returning to her previous class.][ When her father returned from the Marines, they moved back to Virginia, where they lived in extreme poverty.][
Life in Virginia saw many hardships. Elliott talks about domestic abuse by her father.] She refused to stay over at friends' homes out of fear that on her return home she would find her mother dead.[ When Elliott was eight, she was molested by a cousin. In one violent incident, Ronnie Elliott dislocated his wife's shoulders and during another, Elliott herself was threatened with a gun.][ At the age of fourteen, Elliott's mother decided to end the situation and fled with her daughter on the pretext of taking a joyride on a local bus. In reality, the pair had found refuge at a family member's home where their possessions were stored in a loaded U-Haul truck.][ Elliott tells her that she feared her father would kill them both for leaving.][
She later stated, "When we left, my mother realized how strong she was on her own, and it made me strong. It took her leaving her home to be able to realize that."][
Elliott and her mother lived in the Hodges Ferry neighborhood of ]Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval ...
.[ Elliott graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School (Now known as Manor High School) in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1990.][
]
Career
1991–1995: Sista and career beginnings
In 1991, Elliott formed an all female R&B group, called Fayze (later renamed Sista), with friends La'Shawn Shellman, Chonita Coleman, and Radiah Scott. She recruited her neighborhood friend Timothy Mosley (Timbaland) as the group's producer
Producer or producers may refer to:
Occupations
*Producer (agriculture), a farm operator
*A stakeholder of economic production
*Film producer, supervises the making of films
**Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
and began making demo tracks, among them included the 1991 promo "First Move". Later in 1991, Fayze caught the attention of Jodeci
Jodeci ( ) is an American R&B quartet consisting of members DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci, and JoJo. Formed in 1989 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jodeci's members began their musical careers as two duos of brothers and, after years of lim ...
member and producer DeVante Swing[ by performing Jodeci songs a cappella for him backstage after one of his group's concerts. In short order, Fayze moved to New York City and signed to ]Elektra Records
Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between th ...
through DeVante's Swing Mob
Swing Mob (sometimes known as Da Bassment Cru) was an R&B/hip hop collective consisting of artists and record labels first discovered by Jodeci member DeVante Swing. The artists on Swing Mob included: Missy Elliott with the group Sista, Timbal ...
imprint and also renaming the group Sista. Sista's debut song was titled "Brand New", which was released in 1993 Elliott took Mosley—whom DeVante re-christened Timbaland—and their friend Melvin "Magoo" Barcliff along with her.
All 20-plus members of the Swing Mob—among them future stars such as Ginuwine, Playa
Playa (plural playas) may refer to:
Landforms
* Endorheic basin, also known as a sink, alkali flat or sabkha, a desert basin with no outlet which periodically fills with water to form a temporary lake
* Dry lake, often called a ''playa'' in the so ...
, and Tweet—lived in a single two-story house in New York and were often at work on material both for Jodeci and their own projects.[ While Elliott wrote and rapped on ]Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman-Maday () (née Pearman; born December 10, 1985), also known mononymously as Raven, is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She has received several accolades, including five NAACP Image Awards, two Ki ...
's 1993 debut single, "That's What Little Girls Are Made Of
"That's What Little Girls Are Made Of" is the debut mainstream single by American singer-actress Raven-Symoné featuring American rapper Missy Elliott (credited as her full name "Melissa Elliott"), taken from her debut studio album, '' Here's to ...
",[ she also contributed, credited and uncredited, to the Jodeci albums '' Diary of a Mad Band'' (1993) and '']The Show, the After Party, the Hotel
''The Show, the After-Party, the Hotel'' is the third studio album from American Contemporary R&B, R&B group Jodeci, released July 18, 1995, on Uptown Records and distributed through MCA Records. The album was recorded at Dajhelon Studios in Roches ...
'' (1995). Timbaland and DeVante jointly produced a Sista album, entitled ''4 All the Sistas Around da World
''4 All the Sistas Around da World'' is the debut and sole studio album recorded by American R&B group Sista, released September 20, 1994, on Elektra Records. One of the group members at the time was future rap star Missy Elliott.
Although the al ...
'' (1994). Elliott met R&B artist Mary J. Blige while Blige was in sessions for her second album ''My Life My Life may refer to:
Autobiographies
* ''Mein Leben'' (Wagner) (''My Life''), by Richard Wagner, 1870
* ''My Life'' (Clinton autobiography), by Bill Clinton, 2004
* ''My Life'' (Meir autobiography), by Golda Meir, 1973
* ''My Life'' (Mosley a ...
''. Though videos were released for the original and remix versions of the single "Brand New", the album was shelved and never released.[ One of the group's tracks, "It's Alright" featuring Craig Mack did however make the cut on the ]soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
of the 1995 motion picture '' Dangerous Minds'' but by the end of 1995, Swing Mob had folded and many of its members dispersed. Elliott, Timbaland, Magoo, Ginuwine, and Playa remained together and collaborated on each other's records for the rest of the decade as the musical collective The Superfriends.
1996–1998: ''Supa Dupa Fly''
After leaving Swing Mob, Elliott and Timbaland worked together as a songwriting/production team, crafting tracks for acts including SWV, 702, and most notably Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and "Q ...
.[ The pair wrote and produced nine tracks for Aaliyah's second album, '' One in a Million'' (1996), among them the hit singles "]If Your Girl Only Knew
"If Your Girl Only Knew" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah for her second studio album, '' One in a Million'' (1996). The song was written by both Missy Elliott and Timbaland, with the latter producing the song. Musically, "If Your Gi ...
", " One in a Million", " Hot Like Fire", and " 4 Page Letter".[ Elliott contributed background vocals and/or guest raps to nearly all of the tracks on which she and Timbaland worked. ''One in a Million'' went double platinum and made stars out of the production duo. Elliott and Timbaland continued to work together for other artists, later creating hits for artists such as ]Total
Total may refer to:
Mathematics
* Total, the summation of a set of numbers
* Total order, a partial order without incomparable pairs
* Total relation, which may also mean
** connected relation (a binary relation in which any two elements are comp ...
; " What About Us?" (1997), Nicole Wray; "Make It Hot
''Make It Hot'' is the debut studio album by American singer Nicole Wray. The album was released in August 1998 through Missy Elliott's Elektra-distributed vanity label, The Goldmind. The album was produced by Missy Elliott and Timbaland. Som ...
" (1998), and Destiny's Child; "Get on the Bus
''Get on the Bus'' is a 1996 American drama film about a group of African-American men who are taking a cross-country bus trip in order to participate in the Million Man March. The film was directed by Spike Lee and premiered on the first anni ...
" (1998), as well as one final hit for Aaliyah, " I Care 4 U", before her death in 2001. Elliott also wrote the bulk of Total
Total may refer to:
Mathematics
* Total, the summation of a set of numbers
* Total order, a partial order without incomparable pairs
* Total relation, which may also mean
** connected relation (a binary relation in which any two elements are comp ...
's second and final album ''Kima, Keisha, and Pam
''Kima, Keisha, and Pam'' is the second studio album by American R&B girl group Total. It was released by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records on October 27, 1998, in the United States. The album debuted at number nine on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albu ...
'' and Nicole Wray's debut ''Make It Hot
''Make It Hot'' is the debut studio album by American singer Nicole Wray. The album was released in August 1998 through Missy Elliott's Elektra-distributed vanity label, The Goldmind. The album was produced by Missy Elliott and Timbaland. Som ...
'' (both released in 1998). Elliott began her career as a featured vocalist rapping on Sean "Puffy" Combs's Bad Boy remixes to Gina Thompson's " The Things That You Do", (which had a video featuring cameo appearances by Notorious B.I.G and Puff Daddy), MC Lyte
Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rap music, rapper, Disc jockey, DJ, actress and entrepreneur. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, Lyte first gained fame in the late 19 ...
's 1996 hit single " Cold Rock a Party" (backup vocals by Gina Thompson), and New Edition's 1996 single " You Don't Have to Worry". In 1996, Elliott also appeared on the Men of Vizion's remix of "Do Thangz" which was produced by Rodney Jerkins
Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists.
Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
(coincidentally the producer of the original version of " The Things That You Do").
Combs had hoped to sign Elliott to his Bad Boy record label. Instead, she signed a deal in 1996 to create her own imprint, The Goldmind Inc.
The Goldmind, Inc. is an American record label founded in 1997 by rapper Missy Elliott. Elliott was once distributed through Elektra Entertainment Group, and more recently by Atlantic Records before starting her own record label. The Goldmind, ...
, with East West Records, which at that time was a division of Elektra Entertainment Group
Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...
, for which she would record as a solo artist.[ Timbaland was again recruited as her production partner, a role he would hold on most of Elliott's solo releases. Missy continued to work with other artists and appeared on LSG's song "All the Time" with Gerald Levert, Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, Faith Evans, and Coko in 1997 on Levert Sweat Gill classic album. The same year, she rapped in "Keys To My House" with old friends group LeVert. In the center of a busy period of making guest appearances and writing for other artists, Elliott's debut album, '' Supa Dupa Fly'', was released in mid-1997; the success of its lead single " The Rain" led the album to be certified platinum.][ Elliott wore an oversized trash-bag looking jumpsuit in the music video, and at Lilith Fair, an outfit media articles have considered one of her most recognizable "fashion moments".
The success was also a result of the music videos of her single releases, which were directed by Harold "Hype" Williams, who created many groundbreaking hip hop, Afro-futuristic videos at the time. The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the ]1998 Grammy Awards
The 40th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1998, at Radio City Music Hall, New York City. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Rock icon Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss & Union Station, and R. Kelly were th ...
, but lost to Puff Daddy
Puff may refer to:
Science and technology
* Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air
** Puff, a light gust of wind
** Exhalation
** Inhalation
* Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
...
's '' No Way Out''. The year also saw Elliott perform live at the MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
show on a remix to Lil' Kim's "Ladies Night" with fellow rappers Da Brat, Angie Martinez and TLC-rapper Left Eye
Lisa Nicole Lopes (May 27, 1971 – April 25, 2002), better known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper and singer. She was a member of the R&B girl group TLC, alongside Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Besides ...
. Elliott continued her successful career in the background as a producer and writer on Total
Total may refer to:
Mathematics
* Total, the summation of a set of numbers
* Total order, a partial order without incomparable pairs
* Total relation, which may also mean
** connected relation (a binary relation in which any two elements are comp ...
's single "Trippin'", as well as working with several others in the hip-hop and R&B communities. Elliott co-wrote and co-produced two tracks on Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...
's 1998 album '' My Love Is Your Love'', providing vocal cameos for "In My Business" and "Oh Yes". Elliott also produced and made a guest appearance on Spice Girl
The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Vic ...
Melanie Brown's debut solo single, "I Want You Back", which topped the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
in Brown's native United Kingdom and is Elliot's only chart-topping song in that country.
1999–2001: ''Da Real World'' and ''Miss E… So Addictive''
Although a much darker album than her debut, Elliott's second album was just as successful as the first,[Missy Elliott – Me, I'm Supa Dupa Fly]
''VH1''. Accessed September 14, 2008. selling 1.5 million copies and 3 million copies worldwide. She remarked, "I can't even explain the pressure. The last album took me a week to record. This one took almost two months…I couldn't rush it the second time because people expect more."[ '']Da Real World
''Da Real World'' is the second studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released on June 22, 1999, by Elektra and The Goldmind. The album is noted for adding a raunchier and darker style to Elliott's music, as well as inclu ...
'' (1999) included the singles " All n My Grill", a collaboration with Nicole Wray and Big Boi (from OutKast), a remix to " Hot Boyz" and " She's a Bitch". Also in 1999, Elliott was featured, alongside Da Brat, on the official remix to a Mariah Carey single " Heartbreaker". A music video was filmed for the remix, shot in black and white and featuring a cameo appearance by Dogg. The Desert Storm Remix is acclaimed by music critics and became a cult remix .
Missy Elliott next released '' Miss E... So Addictive'' on May 15, 2001. The album debuted at number two in the United States and sold 250,000 copies in its first week. It spawned the massive pop and urban hits " One Minute Man" (as to which MTV wrote: "Missy Elliott Plays Dr. Ruth On New Single"), featuring Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
and Trina, and " Get Ur Freak On", as well as the international club hit " 4 My People" and the less commercially successful single " Take Away". The double music video for "Take Away/4 My People" was released in the fall of 2001, shortly after the sudden death of Elliott's close friend Aaliyah on August 25 and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The "Take Away" video contained images of and words about Aaliyah, and the slow ballad acted as a tribute to her memory. The remainder of the video was the more upbeat "4 My People", contained scenes of people dancing happily in front of American flags and Elliott dressed in red, white and blue. Though "Take Away" was not a success on radio, "4 My People" went on to become an American and European club hit due to a popular remix by house music
House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground club culture in the late 1970s, as DJs began altering ...
duo Basement Jaxx in 2002.
Tweet's appearance on Elliott's "Take Away" as well as her cameo at Elliott's house on '' MTV Cribs'' helped to create a buzz about the new R&B singer. Tweet's own debut single, "Oops (Oh My)", was co-written by Elliott and released through Goldmind in February 2002. The single was a top ten hit, thanks partially to Elliott's songwriting and guest rap, and to Timbaland's unusual production on the track. Elliott co-produced the Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice o ...
, Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink
Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
cover of " Lady Marmalade" for the album ''Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film
''Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film'' is the soundtrack album to Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film ''Moulin Rouge!'', released on 8 May 2001 by Interscope Records. The album features most of the songs featured in the film. However, some of the ...
'', which went to number one on the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in 2001.
2002–2004: ''Under Construction'' and ''This Is Not a Test!''
For her next outing, Elliott and Timbaland focused on an old school sound, utilizing many old school rap and funk samples, such as Run–D.M.C.
Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of ...
's "Peter Piper" and Frankie Smith's "Double Dutch Bus". Elliott's fourth album, 2002's '' Under Construction'' (see 2002 in music) is known as the best selling female rap album with 2.1 million copies sold in the United States. In 2002, Elliott won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for "Get Ur Freak On".[ In 2003, ''Under Construction'' received Grammy nominations for Best Rap Album and ]Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to:
Awards
* ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia
* Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK
* Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US
* Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA
* Lati ...
. ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' designated ''Under Construction'' "this year's best hip-hop album". Elliott released two singles off of Under Construction. The lead single, " Work It" reached No. 2 on '' Billboard''s Hot 100 chart and won the "Video of the Year" award at MTV's Video Music Awards. The second single, " Gossip Folks" featuring Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
, became a Top 10 hit on ''Billboard''s Hot 100 chart, was one of the most-played music videos on MTV, MTV2
MTV2 (formerly M2) is an American pay television channel owned by the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global.
The channel launched initially as an all-music video service, once the original MTV had started to shift its programmin ...
, MTV Jams, and BET in 2003 and was embraced by the dance community, as well as the mainstream, due to a Fatboy Slim remix. A third single was never released, though a video was shot for " Back In The Day" featuring Jay-Z and Elliott was.
In between albums, Elliott produced the "American Dream Remix" (featuring Tweet's additional vocals) of Madonna's single "American Life", was featured rapper on Timbaland & Magoo's return single, "Cop That Shit
"Cop That Shit", also known in its censored form as "Cop That Disc", is the lead single taken from hip-hop duo Timbaland & Magoo's third studio album, ''Under Construction, Part II''. The track features vocals from Missy Elliott. The single was re ...
", and produced "Fighting Temptation" (featuring herself, Beyoncé, Free
Free may refer to:
Concept
* Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything
* Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism
* Emancipate, to procur ...
and MC Lyte
Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rap music, rapper, Disc jockey, DJ, actress and entrepreneur. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, Lyte first gained fame in the late 19 ...
) for the soundtrack to the Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
movie of the same name. The track reached No. 1 in Japan but failed to chart in the U.S. Hot 100. Elliott was also featured on Wyclef Jean's " Party to Damascus" and Ghostface Killah's " Tush" singles, the latter of which became a minor 2004 dance hit, and had a pivotal role in the film ''Honey
Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
''. Gap approached Elliott later in the year to co-star in a commercial with Madonna, which received much media attention. Elliott furthered her relationship with Madonna by performing the controversial 2003 MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
show opening alongside Madonna, Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
and Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice o ...
. Also in September 2003, Elliott performed the theme song "The Opposite Sex" for the UPN sitcom '' Eve'' starring her good friend and fellow rapper Eve. It lasted for three seasons.
A year after Elliott's most successful album to date was released, Elliott felt pressured by her label to release another album hoping to capitalize on her recent success. Elliott's singles, " Pass That Dutch" and " I'm Really Hot", from her fifth album, '' This Is Not a Test!'' (released November 2003), both rose the urban charts. However, both were not as successful at pop radio in comparison to many of her previous efforts. ''This Is Not A Test'' sold 690,000 copies in the United States[ and has been certified Platinum by the ]Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA). Elliott has since stated that "the album ''This Is Not A Test'' came out extremely too quickly for me. I didn't want it to come out when it did." In 2004, Elliott was featured on Ciara's hit single " 1, 2 Step", with her verse interpolating Teena Marie's single, "Square Biz". Elliott premiered her own reality show on the UPN Network, ''The Road to Stardom with Missy Elliott ''The Road to Stardom With Missy Elliott'' was a competitive reality television show that aired on the UPN Network in 2005.Staff report (November 21, 2004). Missy's "Road to Stardom" is "Idol" plus. '' The Virginian-Pilot'' The main judge and host ...
'' in 2005 even though it was not renewed for a second season. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, she sold more than 7.6 million copies in the United States, being the female rapper with best-selling albums in the country, followed by Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...
(seven million), Lil' Kim (four million), and Eve (four million) at the time.[
]
2005–2006: ''The Cookbook'' and ''Respect M.E.''
Elliott wanted to "give people the unexpected" by utilizing producers other than Timbaland and a "more to the center" sound not as far left as her other music.[ Her sixth solo album, '' The Cookbook'' was released on July 4, 2005, debuted at number two on the U.S. charts and was certified ]gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA), selling 645,000 copies in the United States. Elliott's work during ''The Cookbook'' era was heavily recognized. Elliott received 5 Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nominations in 2005, including one for Best Rap Album for ''The Cookbook''. The album's first single, "Lose Control", won a Grammy for Best Short Form Video and was nominated for Best Rap Song. "Lose Control" also garnered Elliott six 2005 MTV VMA award nominations (winning Best Dance Video and Best Hip-Hop Video). Elliott won Best Female Hip Hop Artist at the 2005 American Music Award
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produ ...
s, and was nominated for Best International Female Artist at the 2006 BRIT Awards
Brit Awards 2006 was the 26th show of the Brit Awards, an annual pop music awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. It was organised by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 14 February 2006 in Earls Court in London. It attracted 4. ...
.
" Lose Control" featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop, became a Top 5 hit in the midyear (peaking at number three on the '' Billboard'' Hot 100). The second single, Teary Eyed, did not chart, although the video charted on MTV's '' TRL'' for a few weeks, and BET's '' 106 & Park'' for a few days. The third single, " We Run This", was released with heavy airplay on VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
, MTV, and BET. It served as the lead single for the soundtrack to the gymnastics-themed film '' Stick It.'' The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Rap Solo Performance category in 2006. ''Respect M.E.
''Respect M.E.'' (short for ''Respect Missy Elliott'') is the first greatest hits album by American rapper Missy Elliott. It was released by Atlantic Records on September 4, 2006, in Europe, Asia and Australia. The album includes a collection of ...
'', Elliott's first greatest hits album, was released outside the United States and Canada on September 4, 2006, only in South Africa, Australia, Europe, Japan, and Brazil. The collection became her second top ten album in the UK and her highest-charting album to date, peaking at number seven there.
2007–2014: Production work
Elliott was an honoree of the 2007 VH1 Hip Hop Honors. In honor of her career, many artists performed some of her biggest hits. Timbaland and Tweet performed "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", Eve and Keyshia Cole performed " Hot Boyz" and "Work It", Fatman Scoop and Ciara performed "Lose Control", and Nelly Furtado performed "Get Ur Freak On (The Remix)". Since 2007, Elliott's seventh studio album has had several different forms with extensive delays. In 2007, she worked with Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Danja, T-Pain and DJ Toomp and planned to release an album at the beginning of 2008. In January 2008, " Ching-a-Ling" was released as the lead single for the '' Step Up 2: The Streets'' soundtrack, which also featured " Shake Your Pom Pom" produced by Timbaland. Elliott released the song "Best, Best
"Best, Best" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott. It was written by Elliott, Marcella Araica, and Nate "Danja" Hills for what was supposed to be Elliott's seventh studio album ''Block Party'', while production was helmed by Elliott and Hill ...
" in the same year and renamed the albums previous title ''FANomenal'' to its tentative title ''Block Party''. She later decided against ''Block Party'' and four years later, in 2012, Elliott released two Timbaland-produced singles ("9th Inning
"9th Inning" is a song by American rapper, producer, singer-songwriter Missy Elliott featuring guest appearance by childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland. Originally, a snippet was released on Elliott's official website on September ...
" and " Triple Threat") exclusively to iTunes. Though the songs managed to chart on ''Billboard'' Hot Digital Songs, in an interview with Yahoo's The Yo Show, Missy talked about her hiatus from making records: "Your brain needs time to refresh! Things happen in your life where you can then write something else instead of the same three topics. Like, how many times we gonna talk about the club? I gotta feel like what I'm giving the fans is 100 percent and that it's game-changing. I don't just throw out microwave records."
In between the recording of her seventh album, Missy Elliott found success behind the scenes. Elliott's writing and production helped her reach No. 1 on ''Billboard''s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
with Keyshia Cole's "Let It Go" (2007), Jazmine Sullivan's "Need U Bad" (2008), and Monica
Monica may refer to:
People
*Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress
*Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
's "Everything to Me" (2010). Since 2008, songs written and/or produced by Elliott for Fantasia ("Free Yourself"), Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, and talk show host. Throughout her career, she has received various accolades for her works in recorded music, film, televisi ...
("I'm His Only Woman"), Monica
Monica may refer to:
People
*Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress
*Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
("Everything to Me"), Keyshia Cole ("Let It Go"), and Jazmine Sullivan ("Need U Bad" and "Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)") have all received Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nominations. Both Fantasia's "Free Yourself" (2005) and Sullivan's "Holding You Down (Goin' In Circles)" reached No. 3 on ''Billboard''s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
. In mid-2010, Elliott embarked on a two-part tour with stops in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, while she also performed at VH1's "Hip Hop Honors: The Dirty South" in a tribute to Timbaland, performing " Get Ur Freak On" and "Work It". In 2008 she made an appearance in " Whatcha Think About That" by The Pussycat Dolls, and performed live in different places with them. In 2011 and 2012, Elliott made guest appearances on "All Night Long" by Demi Lovato, "Nobody's Perfect
''NoBody's Perfect'' is a 2008 feature documentary produced and directed by Niko von Glasow. The film won the German Film Award for Best Documentary Film at the Deutscher Filmpreis in 2009, and has gone on to receive worldwide acclaim, resulting ...
" by J. Cole, the remix of " Why Stop Now" by Busta Rhymes with Chris Brown
Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to ''Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempor ...
and Lil Wayne, and a remix of Katy Perry's " Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" that helped catapult "T.G.I.F". to No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. She also produced Monica
Monica may refer to:
People
*Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress
*Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
's singles "Anything (To Find You)" and "Until It's Gone".
Throughout 2013, Missy Elliott was featured on Eve's album cut "Wanna Be", as well as international artists singles, Little Mix
Little Mix are a British girl group, composed of group members Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Perrie Edwards. Jesy Nelson was originally part of the group before she left in 2020. After becoming the first group to win the British ...
's " How Ya Doin'?" and " NiLiria" with K-pop musician G-Dragon
Kwon Ji-yong (; born August 18, 1988), also known by his stage name G-Dragon (지드래곤), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer, known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, K ...
, which was named by ''Complex'' magazine as one of the "50 Best Songs of 2013". Elliott also contributed to her protégée Sharaya J's two releases, "Banji" and "Smash Up The Place/Snatch Yo Wigs". In December 2013, Elliott received a Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nomination with Fantasia and Kelly Rowland for their song " Without Me". As early as July 2013, Missy Elliott and Timbaland held recording sessions for Kat Dahlia's debut, '' My Garden'' (2015). In August 2013, R&B singer Faith Evans revealed that Missy Elliott would be featured on her sixth studio album, tentatively titled ''Incomparable''. In March 2014, Evans revealed one of the tracks was named " I Deserve It", featuring Missy and her protégée Sharaya J, in which Evans cited it as a "banger" and "feel good" record. Evans also revealed that in total Elliott contributed three tracks to her album.[ On July 7, 2014, fellow R&B singer ]Monica
Monica may refer to:
People
*Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress
*Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
confirmed that Elliott would be a feature on her upcoming eighth studio album. On July 29, 2014, a snippet of a Missy Elliott–produced song, nickname "I Love Him", premiered on Monica's official Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
account.
2015–2018: ''Super Bowl XLIX halftime show'' and new music
In 2015, Elliott performed at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show
The Super Bowl XLIX halftime show took place on February 1, 2015, at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, as part of Super Bowl XLIX. It featured American singer Katy Perry, with singer Lenny Kravitz and rapper Missy Ellio ...
with Katy Perry. Elliott performed a medley of "Get Ur Freak On", "Work It", and "Lose Control". The performance was well-received, and boosted digital sales of Elliott's work that week, with a twenty-five-fold increase in album sales (to 2,000 units) and a ten-fold increase in sales of the three songs she performed (to 71,000 units) compared to the week before. It also became the most watched Super Bowl halftime show in NFL history, receiving 118.5 million viewers in the United States. On February 3, 2015, it was confirmed that Elliott would be a feature on the upcoming remix to Diplo and Skrillex's "Take Ü There
"Take Ü There" is the debut collaboration single by American EDM DJ duo Skrillex and Diplo together as Jack Ü, written and performed by the duo and Canadian singer Kiesza, and produced by the duo. It serves as the lead single from Jack Ü's deb ...
". On February 11, Elliott stated that she was still in the process of recording her seventh studio album, ''Block Party'', with Timbaland. On April 2, 2015, Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom h ...
confirmed that he was working on Elliott's album during an episode of ''The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...
''. On November 12, 2015, " WTF (Where They From)" and its music video were simultaneously released to digital outlets. By November 19, the song and its video had been streamed 6.1 million times in the US alone, with an additional count of 16 million views per YouTube viewing.
On February 7, 2016, the day of the fiftieth Super Bowl, Elliott released a promotional single, "Pep Rally". Later that month, Elliott reunited with former protégée Tweet and frequent collaborator Timbaland on the cut "Somebody Else Will" taken from the former's third studio album, '' Charlene''. By March 15, 2016, First Lady Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...
proclaimed that she had assembled a collaborative track featuring vocals from Missy Elliott, Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of '' American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her de ...
, Janelle Monáe and Zendaya alongside production credit from pop songwriter Diane Warren and Elliott titled "This Is for My Girls". The iTunes-exclusive record will be used to both coincide with Ms. Obama's SXSW speech and to promote her third-world educational initiative Let Girls Learn
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married ...
.[
Following a surprise appearance with TLC on the 2016 televised special '' Taraji's White Hot Holidays'', Elliott announced plans to release a documentary chronicling her impact on the production scene in both audio and video. The midnight of January 27, 2017, saw the full-length release to a new Elliott single titled "]I'm Better
"I'm Better" is a song by American recording artist Missy Elliott, and features accompanying vocals by frequent production partner Lamb.
Remix
An official remix of "I'm Better" was released in May 2017. The remix featured Eve, Lil' Kim, and Trin ...
", featuring production and vocal assistance from recurring sideman Lamb
Lamb or The Lamb may refer to:
* A young sheep
* Lamb and mutton, the meat of sheep
Arts and media Film, television, and theatre
* ''The Lamb'' (1915 film), a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in his screen debut
* ''The Lamb'' (1918 ...
and shared directing credit by Elliott and longtime colleague Dave Meyers.
In July 2018, Missy Elliott teased fans by appearing on a snippet nicknamed "ID" by Skrillex, a release date for the single has yet to be announced. One month later, Elliott appeared on the Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
number "Borderline", taken from the singer's fourth studio album '' Sweetener'' (2018). In October 2018, Elliott announced that she is working on her new album, which would be released in 2019. On March 20, 2019, Lizzo released a collaboration with Elliott titled "Tempo".
2019–present: Recognition and ''Iconology''
On June 13, 2019, Elliott was inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, becoming the first female rapper to receive this honor. Elliott received an honorary
An honorary position is one given as an honor, with no duties attached, and without payment. Other uses include:
* Honorary Academy Award, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, United States
* Honorary Aryan, a status in Nazi Germany ...
Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cou ...
, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.[Missy Elliott to be honored at 2019 MTV VMAs with Video Vanguard Award, set to perform]
". ''Associated Press''. USA Today. August 12, 2019. She was also the first female rapper to receive the award.[Walsh, Neil (August 14, 2019).]
Missy Elliot is the first female rapper to receive MTV Video Vanguard Award
". ''Dazed Digital''. Dazed Media. Elliott received the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Music Pioneer Award at the United Nations in 2019 in recognition for her achievements in music and being a leader. This award was placed in the Congressional Record.
Elliott released her first extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. on August 23, 2019, titled '' Iconology''. The five-track EP features a variety of musical genres that cover the breadth of her career as an artist and has received favorable reviews from critics. Upon release of the album, she also released the lead single, " Throw It Back", with a music video featuring Teyana Taylor. Musically, ''Iconology'' is a pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
, hip hop and R&B EP reminiscent of Elliott's previous work. The opening track, " Throw It Back" contains "trap
A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research.
Trap or TRAP may also refer to:
Art and entertainment Films and television
* ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
snares and a serpentine bassline", which along with the second track, "Cool Off", were described as "woozy, futuristic romps" containing "distorted bass lines and frenetic production". Lyrically, "Throw It Back" contains references to Elliott's history, as well as previous collaborators Tweet and Heavy D. Maura Johnson of ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cult ...
'' described "Cool Off" as calling "back to hip-hop's two-turntables-and-a-mic early days". "DripDemeanor" has been described as a slow jam that explores Elliott's "sensuous side". Musically, it contains "plush synths hatskip-step underneath" the song's beat. "Why I Still Love You" is a doo-wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
song with gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
influences and jazz influence that lyrically chronicles the singer's "conflicted emotions about holding on to a cheating lover". The EP closes with an a cappella version of "Why I Still Love You".
Elliott was motivated to write uplifting music to counter mainstream trends and encourage more dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...
to feel good. "DripDemeanor" was released as the album's second single on October 22. "Why I Still Love You" was released as the third single on January 17, 2020. "Cool Off" was released as the fourth and final single from the EP on April 21, 2020.
On June 26, 2020, Elliott appeared on the official remix to Toni Braxton
Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won ...
's single " Do It".
Elliott co-produced the track alongside Hannon Lane.
On August 13, 2020, Elliott appeared on the remix single "Levitating
Levitation (from Latin ''levitas'' "lightness") is the process by which an object is held aloft in a stable position, without mechanical support via any physical contact.
Levitation is accomplished by providing an upward force that counteracts ...
" by Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco-pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Grammy ...
which also featured Madonna. The remix was produced by The Blessed Madonna. Unlike Madonna, Elliott appeared in the video. The music video was directed by Will Hooper.
On January 11, 2021, Elliott appeared on the single "ATM" by Bree Runway. She directed the music video for "Twerkulator" by the City Girls in July 2021.
Personal life
Elliott said in 2008 that she wanted to start a family, but was afraid of giving birth, stating, "I don't know if I can take that kind of pain labor<_a>.html">labor">childbirth.html" ;"title="f childbirth">labor Maybe in the year 2020 you could just pop a baby out and it'd be fine. But right now I'd rather just adopt."
Elliott and her father speak occasionally, but she says she has not forgiven him for abusing her mother.[
In June 2011, Elliott told ''People'' magazine that her absence from the music industry was due to a People (magazine)">''People'' magazine that her absence from the music industry was due to a hyperthyroidism disorder known as Graves' disease">hyperthyroidism">People (magazine)">''People'' magazine that her absence from the music industry was due to a hyperthyroidism disorder known as Graves' disease. She was diagnosed after she nearly crashed a car from having severe leg spasms while driving. She experienced severe symptoms from the condition, and she could not even hold a pen to write songs. After treatment, her symptoms stabilized.
]
Legacy
Elliott has been referred to as the " Queen of Rap", the "Queen of Hip Hop", and the "First Lady of Hip Hop" by several media outlets. Elliott's experimental concepts in her music videos changed the landscape of what a hip-hop video had as themes at the time. Her catalogue of songs have included themes of feminism, gender equality, body positivity and sex positivity since the beginning of her career, being one of the first to center on these topics among hip-hop and R&B performers. ''The Guardian'' and ''The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper Sunday editions, published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group, Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. ...
'' considered her America's first Black female music mogul, as she gained in 2001 total control over her image and music, and the opportunity to sign artists.[ ''The Observer''s Ted Kessler stated that, with her studio albums, she has "revolutionized the sound of R&B and hip-hop" and reintroduced the notion "of fun and fantasy" to urban Black music—a style that matched the "futuristic, much-copied new sound" of her 1997 debut album, '' Supa Dupa Fly''.][ Destiny's Child, Eve and Macy Gray have credited her for "clearing a path" in the American music industry towards "their own pop pre-eminence" as Black female R&B/hip-hop performers.][ ]The Recording Academy
The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy A ...
and ''Evening Standard
The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format.
In October 2009, after be ...
'' have called her a "hip hop icon". ''The Economist
''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econ ...
'' considered that Elliott "is to rap what Prince
A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in s ...
was to R&B" due to their "impact upon the genre" and her ability to "weave in styles and strands from outside it."
''The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issue ...
'' stated that Elliott became the first Black female rapper to reach the mainstream in Middle America. An article from '' Vibe'' credits Elliott's debut album ''Supa Dupa Fly'' for "changing the rap game for women", noting the rapper's "refusal to be pigeonholed" with her image, and instead, embraced "the complexities inherent with Black womanhood", with the author commenting that female rappers tend to be placed into one of two categories: androgyny or hyper-sexualization. ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' and ''The Bulletin
Bulletin or The Bulletin may refer to:
Periodicals (newspapers, magazines, journals)
* Bulletin (online newspaper), a Swedish online newspaper
* ''The Bulletin'' (Australian periodical), an Australian magazine (1880–2008)
** Bulletin Debate, ...
'' have called her the "Queen of the Beats". Jem Aswad of ''Variety (magazine), Variety'' commented that Elliott and longtime collaborator Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
"reshaped the sound of hip-hop", as they made songs "out of pings and bips and bloops (both vocal and electronic) that quickly became part of the foundation of virtually all that followed."[ Similarly, Doreen St. Félix of ''The New Yorker'' wrote that her debut album "expanded the definition of rap" and "defined a new hip-hop aesthetic", with Elliott and Timbaland developing a grammar by "collecting extra-musical noises", "crafting" a new R&B sound, and incorporating a "singsong technique" in her flow. The author noted that, a generation later, the majority of rappers "are also vocalists". For ''Los Angeles Times'' writer Gerrick D. Kennedy, Elliott "ushered in a new era of creatively ambitious music videos." The aesthetic for the music video for "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" inspired several others released afterward.][ Commercially, Missy Elliott led female hip hop album sales during the late 1990s and early 2000s.] Missy Elliott in addition to Timbaland, Pharrell Williams and The Clipse are considered to have an intricate part of establishing Virginia as one of the East Coast's strongholds in hip hop. As of 2015, she has remained the best selling female rap album artist in the US. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC website editor Gab Burke expressed that Elliott "railed against the male-dominated mainstream rap scene throughout her career, constantly pushed the boundaries, and cemented a place for women in hip hop."[
According to ''Marie Claire'', Elliott has influenced several music acts visually and vocally. Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Lizzo, Tyler, the Creator, Solange Knowles, Chloe Bailey, M.I.A. (rapper), M.I.A., Janelle Monáe, Anderson .Paak, Rapsody, Ciara, Bree Runway, Doja Cat, Ivy Queen, Ari Lennox, Tayla Parx, Sean Bankhead (choreographer), Sean Bankhead, ASAP Ferg, Leikeli47, Tierra Whack, Noname (rapper), Noname, Okenyo,] Little Simz, Coda Conduct,[ Dawn Richard,] Banks (singer), Banks,[ Rich the Kid, Crystal Caines, Coi Leray, Lady Leshurr, Stefflon Don, Flo Milli, Krept and Konan, Rye Rye, Le1f, Qveen Herby, Saweetie, and Erica Banks have cited Elliott's work as an inspiration.
]
Awards and nominations
Elliott has won four Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, eight MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
, two American Music Awards, six BET Awards, and a Billboard Women in Music award for Innovator. On June 13, 2019, Elliott was inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, becoming the first female rapper to receive this honor, and the third overall, following Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri.[ Also in 2019, Elliott received an ]honorary
An honorary position is one given as an honor, with no duties attached, and without payment. Other uses include:
* Honorary Academy Award, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, United States
* Honorary Aryan, a status in Nazi Germany ...
Doctor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cou ...
,[ and became the first female rapper to receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award by MTV.][
In 2018, Elliott received Essence (magazine), ''Essence'' magazine's Black Women In Music honor, and in 2019, she was presented with the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Music Pioneer Award at the United Nations.][ In 2020, Urban One presented her with the Music Innovation Award.
In May 2021, Elliott was among the inaugural inductees for the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame, Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame. In November 2021, Elliott was honored with a star on the ]Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
.
In December 2022, Elliott received a second honorary doctorate, this time from Norfolk State University, who also helped rename a Portsmouth street after her.
Other ventures
In 2005, there were plans to make a biographical film about the life story of Elliott. It was to be co-produced by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, and written by Diane Houston.[ In mid-June 2007, Elliott said she was still working on the script with Houston in order "to come up with the right stuff 'cause I don't want it to be watered down. I want it to be raw and uncut the way my life was."] Initially, it seemed Timbaland would not be a part of the movie. When Missy asked him, he refused, believing this dramatized his character; "the movie is about her life, her story, that goes deeper than putting me into the movie".
Philanthropy
In 2002, Elliott wrote a letter on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA to the mayor of her hometown Portsmouth, Virginia, asking that all shelter animals be neutering, neutered/spayed before being adopted. For the reality TV show ''The Road to Stardom'', there was a contest for viewers to create a public service ad for the Break the Cycle fund.
In 2004, she joined forces with MAC Cosmetics to promote their "Viva Glam" campaign. In addition to the ad campaign, Elliott promoted the MAC Viva Glam V lipstick from which 100% of the sale goes to the MAC AIDS Fund.
In 2007, Elliott appeared on an American Broadcasting Company, ABC's ''Extreme Makeover'' and awarded four scholarships for a weight loss program to four underprivileged teens.
In August 2017, a 27-year-old Virginia man named Nathan Coflin began a Change.org petition that gained over 30,000 signatures in support of a statue to honor Elliott's philanthropic endeavors to be erected in her hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval ...
. On the petition's proposed site for this statue a Confederate Monument (Portsmouth, Virginia), Confederate Monument previously stood. This led to widespread media coverage in several national publications including The Washington Post, HuffPost, Newsweek and ''Time (magazine), Time Magazine''.
In October 2022, a portion of McLean Street in Portsmouth, Virginia was rename
Missy Elliott Boulevard
Discography
* '' Supa Dupa Fly'' (1997)
* ''Da Real World
''Da Real World'' is the second studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released on June 22, 1999, by Elektra and The Goldmind. The album is noted for adding a raunchier and darker style to Elliott's music, as well as inclu ...
'' (1999)
* '' Miss E... So Addictive'' (2001)
* '' Under Construction'' (2002)
* '' This Is Not a Test!'' (2003)
* '' The Cookbook'' (2005)
Filmography
Concert tours
Headlining
* Missy Elliott: Live in Concert (1998–99)
* Missy Elliott Tour (2001–05)
* Europe Tour (2010)
Co-headlining
* Lilith Fair#1998, Lilith Fair Tour (with various artists) (1998)
* The Verizon Ladies First Tour (with Beyoncé Knowles, Beyoncé, Tamia and Alicia Keys) (2004)
* Hip Hop: Don't Stop Tour (with Kelis and Talib Kweli) (2004)
Special guest
* All for You Tour (Janet Jackson) (2002)
* Anger Management Tour (Eminem and 50 Cent) (2003)
* Return of the Queen Tour ( Lil' Kim) (2012)
Opening act
* Rainbow World Tour (Mariah Carey) (2000)
* Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special (Michael Jackson) (2001)
* Rock the Mic Tour ( Jay-Z and 50 Cent) (2003)
* Re-Invention World Tour ( Madonna) (2004)
* Unbreakable World Tour (Janet Jackson tour), Unbreakable World Tour (Janet Jackson) (2015)
See also
* Honorific nicknames in popular music
* The Goldmind Inc.
The Goldmind, Inc. is an American record label founded in 1997 by rapper Missy Elliott. Elliott was once distributed through Elektra Entertainment Group, and more recently by Atlantic Records before starting her own record label. The Goldmind, ...
References
Sources
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elliott, Missy
Missy Elliott,
1971 births
Living people
20th-century American singers
21st-century American singers
African-American female dancers
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American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters
Atlantic Records artists
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Grammy Award winners for rap music
Participants in American reality television series
Musicians from Portsmouth, Virginia
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People with endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
Rappers from Virginia
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Woodrow Wilson High School (Portsmouth, Virginia) alumni
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20th-century American women singers
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