Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Elliott marks first in Songwriters Hall
NEW YORK — Missy Elliott, the mastermind who has written hit songs for a number of female acts and created camaraderie among women in the music industry for more than two decades, felt the love back from her musical sisters as she became the first female rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
During a performance, singer-rapper Lizzo brought Elliott’s colorful and eccentric music videos to life Thursday night in an ensemble similar to what Elliott sported in the late ’90s — finger wave hairdo included.
Grammy, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Queen Latifah inducted Elliott with kind words as she paid homage to their long-lasting friendship. And even former first lady Michelle Obama took her turn to say how much of a Missy Elliott fan she is.
“Missy, I want to thank you for all of your trailblazing ways,” Obama said in a taped video. “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.”
It all brought Elliott to tears as the audience erupted with cheers and applause.
“I am thankful,” she said, pausing for a few seconds. “Every time I come up to a podium even with all the work that I’ve done, I don’t know, and I’m assuming it’s just God, I don’t know why I am here.”
Elliott is just the third rapper to enter into the Songwriters Hall, following Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri’s inductions in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Elliott entered the 2019 class with legendary British singer Cat Stevens and country-folk icon John Prine.