Missy Elliott was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Queen Latifah and closed the evening with music.
On Friday, Missy Elliott became the first female rapper to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She celebrated the milestone with a dynamic performance that highlighted her considerable influence as one of hip-hop’s most visionary artists.
Queen Latifah, who inducted the artist, explained that Elliott was a multi-talented artist, calling her ” one of the greatest producers of all time, period ” and pointing out that she had written classic hits for stars such as BeyoncĂ©, Janet Jackson and Aaliyah throughout her career. She also highlighted how Elliott’s partnership with producer Timbaland (and their work on Elliott’s transformative album, Supa Dupa Flywhen they were teenagers) had an impact on music and pop culture.
“ We had never heard anything like it in our lives. They opened the door to new possibilities in all aspects of contemporary music, including rock and roll, but believe me, nothing sounded the same after Missy came along. All the drums and everything else has changed: the bass lines have changed, the cadence, the writing. And that’s because Missy has always been a futurist, someone who is always looking forward. She’s avant-garde without even trying. (…) Missy has never been afraid to denounce the misconceptions, stereotypes and outright misogyny that have been put in place, and the obstacles that have been put in the way of women. She played a leading role in removing these barriers. But Missy’s message really is for everyone, and that message is: It’s possible to do anything and be great at it. »
Immediately afterwards, Elliott performed a medley spanning several decades. She launched into her classic “ Get Ur Freak Out », with Timbaland, taken from his second album Miss E… So Addictive. She then moved on to “ The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) ”, surrounded by dancers and choreography that summed up her musical and visual influence on pop culture over the decades. Elliott ended the medley with three musical monsters: “ Work It “, ” Pass That Dutch ” And ” Lose Control “.
During her acceptance speech, the musician took the time to rejoice in the welcome she received. She thanked her mother, Timbaland, and several close friends who supported her at the event, and also paid tribute to former members and other inductees: “ I still pinch myself at the thought of being in a room with some of the inductees I see. Flavor Flav, who is a legend, I love you and you have always supported me. Elton John, a legend. Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, Willie Nelson – all of these people have impacted people around the world through their music. » She also cited artists like Salt-N-Pepa and Queen Latifah, who inspired her own journey.
Missy Elliott got emotional while talking about the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and how her career brought her to this stage: “ It feels like there’s so much ground to cover when you come from the hip-hop world and being here means a lot to me. »
