In a huge move for Hip Hop, Missy Elliott is now the first official female Hip Hop artist to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Receiving her honour on June 13, Missy was introduced by fellow icon of the game Queen Latifah, and was even given a filmed message of congratulations from Michelle Obama during the ceremony. The former first lady went on to say, “Missy, I want to thank you for all of your trailblazing ways. Thank you not for just sharing your gift with the world, but for being an advocate for so many people out there, especially young girls who are still figuring out how to make their voices heard.”
Accepting her award, Missy spoke of the struggles she faced getting started when writing her verses. “I want to say one thing to the writers, to the upcoming writers, ‘Do not give up.’ We all go through writer’s block. Sometimes you just have to walk away from a record and come back to it. But don’t give up because I’m standing here. And this is big for Hip Hop, too.”
Amazingly, Missy is only the third rapper to be inducted. Jay-Z was inducted in 2017 while Jermaine Dupri made his entrance last year. Check Missy on Instagram here: @missymisdemeanorelliott
