Missy Elliot: Why she kicks ass
Melissa Arnette “Missy” Elliot is a rapper, singer, song writer, record producer, dancer and actress.
She is the only female rapper to have 6 albums certified platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America).
Her album Under Construction went double platinum.
She is a 5 time Grammy award winner.
Missy Elliot has sold over 30 million records in the US alone.
Her first production credit was in 1996 for the album Ginuwine…the Bachelor.
She knew from the age of 4 that the wanted to be a performer, but found she often wasn’t taken seriously, rather she was seen as the “class clown”.
Missy Elliot’s childhood was strongly impacted by domestic abuse; although her mother and her were able to overcome this when at the age of 14 she moved out with her mother. Missy Elliot has said, “When we left, my mother realized how strong she was on her own, and it made me strong. It took her leaving to realize” about this time.
In the 1990s she was part of the group Fayze (later re-named Sista).
Elliott wrote and rapped on Raven-Symoné’s 1993 debut single.
In 1998 she performed live at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Elliott co-produced the Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa and P!nk cover of "Lady Marmalade”, which went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2001.
Her album Under Construction is known as the best selling female rap album ever with 2.1 million copies sold in the US.
Under Construction received Grammy nominations for Best Rap Album and Album of the Year (2003).
She won Best Female Hip Hop Artist at the 2005 American Music Awards.
Missy Elliot’s song We Run This was the lead single for the gymnastics-themed film Stick It.
She was an honouree of the 2007 VH1 Hip Hop Honors. (see: x)
In June 2011 she spoke about her experiences with the hyperthyroid disorder, Graves’ disease. She experienced severe symptoms, explaining that she could not even hold a pen up to write songs. Since the treatment, her symptoms stabilised and she has announced that she would like to get back to her career
You can visit her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missyelliot, Official site: http://www.missy-elliott.com & Twitter: https://twitter.com/MissyElliott.
