Let’s Talk About Why Missy Elliott Is Important
For anyone who has lived on earth for longer than a week, you are well aware that on November 12, 2015 at 9am EST, Missy THE Misdemeanor Elliott, came for all our edges, wigs and lives by dropping a new single called “WTF” (Where They From) featuring Pharrell Williams.
Before watching the video below, please have a bottle of water nearby and secure your wigs.
After you have collected yourself from the floor, where you passed out from pure overwhelmness of the slayage Missy Elliott just served you, let’s talk. Missy Elliott coming back means so much to me. Missy was that artist that saved my life. Missy was MY Nas, or Tupac or whoever else y’all say saved your life. Missy Elliott was that to me. Missy Elliott came onto the scene in the late 90s, when hip hop was crawling with female mcs, left and right. At a time misogyny in hip hop was at an utmost high and she STILL brought her black ass onto this scene with her bff Timbaland and took over hip hop. She had nigga BEGGING just to stand in a video. She had Jay Z rapping bout being a One Minute Man. Missy Elliott always respected everyone and she got the respect back because her art spoke for herself and I always respected that in her. Missy stood out to me because she was a woman who came into a male dominated industry, with her own art, her own ideas, her own vibe and she made it work. She didn’t ask no one for permission, she never was out here beefin with people or talking down, no Missy was always supportive of other artists, and always gave new people a chance no other hip hop artist was out here putting in work like Missy did. No other artist got music from the 90s that straight up sounds like one these songs from 2015. Missy was decades ahead of her time. But missy inspired me in more ways than how she commanded the music scene, she also talked about topics in her music that no one else was.
Body Positivity
Missy Elliott was fat, she was the ONLY fat female rapper who not only embraced her fatness, but also had every other rapper in the damn game bowing down to her and giving her the utmost respect. Missy, rapped about her being fat, all the time and she rapped about how she was fat and still ain’t give a fuck what you be whispering behind her back, fat and still snatch your man. Missy was the first fat body positive rapper to the scene. Missy talked about her weight many times and shared with us, how she was told by industry execs to pursue a behinds the scenes career because, ya know how can you be a fat female rapper? She never backed down and now look where she is. Missy gave you raps about her curves, her butt, and her “chocha.” She came on the scene with “I’m (Really) Hot” stating the love she has for her body, just the way it is and she doesn’t need to conform to unhealthy standards promoted throughout society. Missy didn’t give a two fucks about whether any of her looks were being considered flattering to her body shape. That’s a risky act for any artist to make within an industry where any size that showcases even the slightest of natural curve is considered “plus size,” and where outfits are often tailored primarily to engage with the visual pleasures of the male audience. But Missy came out here in tracksuits, a damn garbage bag, her mega man suit in “Sock It To Me” shit that no one would think of and she made it a trend because she is Missy Elliott.
shit that no one would think of and she made it a trend because she is Missy Elliott.
Uniting Women
Uniting Women
Missy was always talking about women working together and standing together in this male dominated world. She was always supportive of other female artists, she was never out here picking fights and frankly didn’t have others picking fights with her either, because why? She gave us “We Run This” which was the “Run the world” anthem before beyonce was beyonce.
Missy was out here giving her fellow female artists (such as Ciara, Eve, Lil Kim or Da Brat) spots on her songs or roles in her videos ALL THE TIME. She released the track“Best Friends (feat. Aaliyah)” from her debut album Supa Dupa Fly which really outlines how vital having a best friend is to the female experience, especially in a male dominated world.
Reclaimed “Bitch”
Missy Elliott and Lil Kim were some of the two female MCs who really came onto the scene reclaiming the word and connotations behind the word “bitch”. Kim dropped “Throw Your Hands Up feat Missy Elliott” talking about “If you can’t wear the name, don’t try to use it.” Kim took ownership of a genderized slur reclaiming of power against men who try to tear you down through language. Missy then came out with “She’s A Bitch” which was basically a song claiming the words bitch while slaying these niggas with her rap skills. “Get on down whilst I shoot my flow/ She’s a b*tch/ When I do my thing/ Got the place on fire/ Burn it down to flame.”
Missy was always advocating for women to embrace their sexuality. Not only embrace it but love it, love it, demand respect for it but also don’t need a man to satisfy it. Her biggest sex positive hit being “Work It”…
Missy was always advocating for women to embrace their sexuality. Not only embrace it but love it, love it, demand respect for it but also don’t need a man to satisfy it. Her biggest sex postive hit being “Work It”…
It didn’t stop there.
Missy was all about uplifting women’s sexuality and not giving a fuck when people say about it.
Missy Elliott is a hip hop legend and pioneer. Women in hip hop rarely get the props they deserve and Missy Elliott is one of them. To me, however, she was always more than just a hip hop artist. Missy Elliott was my role model. Missy Elliott was the first artist that made me feel like I could do anything, be anything. She made me feel confident in my own skin, she was a female hip hop artist who talked about things that were relevant to me, that made me feel good, that was positive, and encouraged her fans to be themselves and not give a flying fuck about what anyone else says. Missy Elliott made me into the person I am today. I will never stop stanning for Melissa Arnette Elliott, Writer, Producer, MC, and Feminist.
Missy Elliott is a hip hop legend and pioneer. Women in hip hop rarely get the props they deserve and Missy Elliott is one of them. To me, however, she was always more than just a hip hop artist. Missy Elliott was my role model. Missy Elliott was the first artist that made me feel like I could do anything, be anything. She made me feel confident in my own skin, she was a female hip hop artist who talked about things that were relevant to me, that made me feel good, that was positive, and encouraged her fans to be themselves and not give a flying fuck about what anyone else says. Missy Elliott made me into the person I am today and for you newbies, who just now finding out who Missy Elliott is, I want to talk about some of the specific things that she did for me growing up.
