Get Your Freak On hitmaker, Missy Elliot relished the moment she went upstage to entertain the crowd after she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, one of music’s highest honors.
She indicated that she was impressed with the recognition making her the first female hip-hop artiste to have been called into the Hall of Fame. The 52-year-old however said she almost “went blank” when it was time to mount the podium.
The feeling was “unimaginable” in the packed auditorium at the ceremony, which came off November 3, 2023, in Brooklyn, New York.
“I got to the podium and my mind went blank it is a feeling that’s almost unimaginable as I listened to the cheers and claps of so many people…I felt like a little girl again singing to my babydolls in my room. I felt like the child who told my teachers I’m gonna be a star. I hope I’ve made them proud also,” the Lose Control hitmaker wrote on her X (Twitter) page on Saturday.
Born Mellisa Arnette, Grammy winner also paid tribute to American rapper and actress Queen Latifa for paving the way.
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Queen Latifah, host of the show, said nothing sounded the same after Missy Elliott came onto the rap scene.
“…everything changed. The bass lines changed, the pockets changed, the cadence, the writing. And that’s because Missy has always been a futurist, someone who’s always looking ahead,” Latifah stated.
Missy, in turn, showed her appreciation, saying, “It’s nothing like having those you look up to say ‘I am Proud of You.’ My heart is full. You named yourself starting with Queen, & that’s how you have moved! Your speech about me are things I learned from watching you! Thank you” the Work It composer wrote.
Missy Elliott was inducted along with Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, The Spinners, and a host of other performers who have contributed in diverse ways to the music genre. The ceremony coincided with the 50th anniversary of the birth of Hip Hop.
Beyond the ceremony, accomplished performer and rapper Dana Elaine Owens, known by her stage name Queen Latifah, recently announced a new deal with Computer Brand, Lenovo.
“I’m thrilled to let you know I’m back at it, partnering with @Lenovo as an ambassador for small businesses all across the US and Canada with #EvolveSmall. We’re crowning six grand prize winners,!” she posted on November 2, 2023.