Missy Elliott

Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971), also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She began her musical career as a member of the R&B girl group Sista during the 1990s, who were part of the larger musical collective Swing Mob—led by DeVante Swing of Jodeci. The former group signed with Elektra Records to release their debut album, 4 All the Sistas Around da World (1994), which was critically praised but commercially unsuccessful. She collaborated with album's producer and Swing Mob cohort Timbaland to work in songwriting and production for other acts, yielding commercially successful releases for 702, Aaliyah, SWV, and Total. Elliott re-emerged as a solo act with several collaborative efforts and guest appearances by 1996. The following year, she released her debut solo album, Supa Dupa Fly, which peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200 and topped Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 20 single "Sock It 2 Me" (featuring Da Brat). Her second album, Da Real World (1999), produced the singles "She's a Bitch", "All n My Grill" (featuring Big Boi and Nicole Wray), and "Hot Boyz" (remixed featuring Lil' Mo, Nas, Eve and Q-Tip). The latter song set a 19-year record for most weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs and spent 18 weeks atop the Hot Rap Songs chart. Elliott's third and fourth albums, Miss E... So Addictive (2001) and Under Construction (2002) made her the sole recipient of both Grammy Awards for Best Female Rap Solo Performance with their respective songs "Scream a.k.a. Itchin" (featuring Timbaland) and "Work It". Furthermore, the albums peaked at numbers two and three on the Billboard 200, respectively, while "Work It" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Her fifth and sixth albums, This Is Not a Test! (2003) and The Cookbook (2005), followed thereafter; the latter matched Under Construction on the Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top three single, "Lose Control" (featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop). Following a long-term hiatus, her debut extended play, Iconology (2019) marked her first release in 14 years. Elliott has received numerous accolades, including four Grammy Awards. Her overall discography has sold 40 million records worldwide, making her the best-selling female rapper in Nielsen Music history according to Billboard. She was the first female rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and received the MTV VMAs Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for her impact on the music video landscape. In 2020, Billboard ranked her at No. 5 on their list of the 100 greatest music video artists of all time. In 2021, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2023, she became the first female rapper to be nominated and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2024, Elliot was honored as the 2022 recipient of the National Medal of Arts.