Missy Elliott, one of the most legendary and renowned female musicians in the world, is a five-time Grammy Award winner and the only female artist to have six albums certified platinum. After attaining record-breaking sales of over seven million in the United States alone, Elliott achieved the unthinkable in the male-dominated rap music industry. This incredibly dedicated woman has made her mark in the world of hip-hop, a great accomplishment in every sense. Her upbringing was as difficult as she is today in terms of being strong-willed, diligent, and persistent. In truth, her mother was subjected to numerous incidences and episodes of domestic abuse by her father. However, young Elliott did not abandon her singing enthusiasm. She joined the singing group during her adolescent years, and the rest, as they say, is history. She soared to the top of the music industry with her consistent work and extraordinary musical ability, achieving superstar status with her debut album. Among her popular albums are “Under Construction,” “Respect M.E.,” “Miss E… So Addictive,” and “The Cookbook.”
Missy Elliott’S Childhood
Melissa Arnette ‘Missy’ Elliott was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, on July 1, 1971, to Ronnie Elliott, a U.S. marine officer, and Patricia Elliott, a power company coordinator.
Since childhood, she desired to be a performer, but no one paid her any attention.
As a child, she was profoundly affected by her father’s rage and aggressive behavior towards her mother. At the age of fourteen, she and her mother left her father’s residence.
Missy Elliott’s Career
She made her debut in the music industry by founding the R&B group Fayze with her buddies. The ensemble produced various demo recordings, including the promotional single “First Move.”
In 1991, she drew the attention of producer and Jodeci member DeVante, for whom she sang backstage during a Jodeci concert. Fayze signed with Elektra Records after EleVante supported her in relocating to New York after being impressed by her performance. The ensemble composed of Elliott, Timbaland, and Barcliff was given the moniker Sista.
In New York, she engaged in numerous activities. In addition to writing and rapping for Raven-1993 Symoné’s debut hit, “That’s What Little Girls Are Made Of,” she contributed as a songwriter to Jodeci’s last two albums, “Diary of a Mad Band” and “The Show, the After Party, the Hotel.”
She created the debut Sista record, “4 All the Sistas Around Da World,” with her friends. The record was never released, though. Nonetheless, the 1995 film ‘Dangerous Minds’ featured one of its songs, ‘It’s Alright.
She collaborated with Timbaland as a producer and songwriter for Aaliyah, Nicole Wray, Destiny’s Child, and other singing sensations. Together, they produced songs such as “If Your Girl Only Knew,” “One in a Million,” “What About Us?” and “Get on the Bus,” among others.
Simultaneously, she began her own career as a rapper on a number of albums by prominent vocalists, including Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs’s Bad Boy remixes, Gina Thompson’s ‘The Things That You Do,’ and MC Lyte’s ‘Cold Rock a Party.
She subsequently got a contract with East-West Records to produce her debut album. Timbaland was hired as her producing collaborator, a position he maintained for the majority of her solo releases.
In 1997, amid numerous guest appearances and rapping for other singing sensations, she published her debut album, titled “Supa Dupa Fly.” The album was a phenomenal success, reaching the top of the U.S. music charts and eventually receiving platinum certification. It garnered her rapid fame in the music business as a female rapper.
In the meantime, despite the success of her debut album, she continued to work as a producer and songwriter for other singers, penning chart-topping hits like “Trippin” by Total, “In My Business” and “Oh Yes” by Whitney Houston, and “I Want You Back” by Melanie Brown.
1999 saw the release of her second studio album, ‘Da Real World,’ which mirrored the popularity of her debut. The album sold about three million copies and includes the smash singles ‘She’s a Bitch,’ ‘All N My Grill,’ and ‘Hot Boyz.’
Miss E… So Addictive, her third studio album, was released in May of 2001. The album featured hit hits such as “One Minute Man,” “Get Ur Freak On,” and “4 My People.” It garnered favorable reviews from music reviewers and achieved platinum certification.
When Tweet’s debut single ‘Oops (Oh My)’ was released, her remarkable songwriting and rapping abilities were appreciated. The song reached the top ten on the charts and was praised by critics.
Her fourth album, ‘Under Construction,’ was released in 2002 and won her worldwide acclaim. The album emphasized old school vibe and produced great singles such as “Work It” and “Gossip Folks.” With 2.1 million copies sold in the United States, it became the best-selling female rap album ever and is her most successful album to date.
This is Not a Test! was her fifth studio album, released in 2003. Although the album’s songs ‘Pass That Dutch’ and ‘I’m Really Hot’ was highly received, it was not as well regarded as her other albums.
The release of her sixth studio album, The Cookbook, occurred in 2005. The album entered the charts at number two. Both the general public and the critics gave it’s singles positive reviews.
2006 saw the publication of her compilation album ‘Respect M.E.’, which was distributed by Atlantic Records. It was a compilation of singles from six of her previously released albums.
She embarked on a big two-part tour of Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa in 2010. She also appeared at H1’s “Hip Hop Honors: The Dirty South” in June of that year.
In 2012, he released two iTunes-exclusive singles. “9th Inning” and “Triple Threat” were the singles. Timberland appeared in two fragments of the ‘Triple Threat’ song.
In 2013, she directed the most recent music video for Sharaya J, ‘Smash Up the Place/Snatch Yo Wigs,’ her first since ‘Ching-a-Ling’.
His Major Opera
One of her best-selling albums, ‘Under Construction’ peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album was also nominated for a Grammy Award.
Respect M.E. is her highest-charting album and the second album to reach the top ten in the United Kingdom. This was one of her first albums of greatest hits.
Awards & Achievements
In 2002, she won the Grammy Award for ‘Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals for the song ‘Lady Marmalade.’ In the same year, she won yet another Grammy for “Get Your Freak On” in the category of “Best Rap Solo Performance.”
In 2003, she won the Grammy Award for “Best Female Rap Solo Performance” for her song “Scream aka Itching.”
In 2004, she won the Grammy Award for ‘Work It’ in the category of ‘Best Female Rap Solo Performance’
“Lose Control” won the 2006 Grammy Award in the category of “Best Short Form Music Video”
Personal History and Legacy
She suffers from Graves’ disease, a hyperthyroid illness.
Estimated Net Worth
Missy Elliott has a net worth of $50 million as an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and music producer. She was the first female rapper to be admitted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and her records have sold over 30 million copies in the United States.
Trivia
This American female rapper and composer is the recipient of five Grammy Awards. In addition, she is the only female rapper with six platinum-certified albums and one double platinum album.