Missy Elliott has been in the industry for two and a half decades, and she still hasn’t lost her fire.
This year, she celebrated the 25th anniversary of her debut solo album, Supa Dupa Fly.
The album was the highest charting debut on the Billboard 200 for a female rapper when it came out.
So, what makes the legendary rapper tick?
Let’s find out!
Being Herself in Her Music
Missy Elliott’s music is famous for being different from almost everything else.
She attributes this to focusing on her style, which fuels her creativity.
The rapper believes that every artist goes through a period when they feel burnt out.
This happens whether they have been in the industry for 10 years or more than 20.
The main reason is that you’ve been in the trenches for a long time, have changed your look and sound several times, and have tried many new things.
If you also follow what everyone else is doing, it adds an extra layer of pressure and stress.
When Missy Elliott started with Timbaland, they didn’t focus on the videos or songs other artists were making.
This helped them to make their own sound and not follow what was trending.
She Loves Writing
You might not know this, but Missy Elliott is among the most respected songwriters in the industry.
She has written hits for artists like:
- Beyonce
- Mariah Carey
- Trina
- Fantasia
- Aaliyah
The rapper finds it easier to write for other artists because she is often hard on herself.
While the people she writes for are often happy with her work, Elliott criticizes the songs she writes for herself.
This often elevates her work to a higher standard than most rappers.
And the results speak for themselves:
- Elliott was the first female rapper to join the Songwriters Hall of Fame
- She has won 4 Grammy Awards
- She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Various media outlets have called her the Queen of Rap
- She has sold more than 30 million records so far
Missy Elliott: A Hip Hop Legend
Missy Elliott’s songs and music videos have repeatedly taken the world by storm.
And even though she released her last full-length album in 2005, we hope that she will release a follow-up to her 2019 EP, Iconology.
