Female rap legend Missy Elliott has opened up about her 16-year battle with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder.
According to Missy, she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 2008 which greatly impacted her and her career.
As part of this, Missy Elliot is preparing to embark on her first-ever headlining tour, the Out of This World Tour, Missy Elliott is getting ready.
The native of Virginia said that she is “blessed to be here” and that she has persevered despite the illness’s difficulties while using Graves’ medicine to “feel good.”
Missy also talks about how having the disease affected her morning routine and how it helped her come up with fresh ideas for the forthcoming tour.
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“Every day I wake, I’m blessed to be here and in good health. I’m feeling so much better now. That was a run. Every now and then you get a little ache in the leg or the knee, but outside of that, I feel good. Listen, every morning my regimen is I get up, wash my face, brush my teeth, and walk,” she added. “I say my prayers as I’m walking, and then all of these ideas start coming to mind. I’ll call everybody like, ‘I want to swing from this,’ and they’re like, ‘Do you know how much that costs?’ she quizzed.
This year’s tour will be Missy’s first tour since 2004 when she toured around the country alongside Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Tamia for the Verizon Ladies First Tour. The Cookbook, Missy’s last album, was also released in 2005. Her condition from Graves’ disease was a contributing factor in her absence from the tour life.
But at last, the electrifying performer is back. In April, Missy revealed that she will be embarking on a new Out of This World Tour with Ciara and Busta Rhymes.
“This is an incredible time in my life as I am experiencing so many milestone ‘firsts.’ Being the FIRST female Hip Hop artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and now going out on my FIRST headline tour,” a statement from the rapper said.