Missy Elliott Honoured with Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

US rap trailblazer Missy Elliot was
honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 8^th November. Singers
Ciara and Lizzo were at the ceremony to introduce the ‘Work It’ singer as she
became the proud owner of the 2,708th spot on the legendary walkway. The
50-year-old rapper shared a picture of herself with her star on social media,
saying she was grateful for the honour.

“I’ve come here 20-something years ago and just used to walk past all
these stars and just imagine,” Elliott said during an emotional acceptance
speech outside Amoeba Records on Hollywood Boulevard. “It’s just a blessing to
dream big and it truly happened. I’m truly standing here.”

“I kind of give this to my
female MCs in hip-hop, to my sisters in hip-hop. I wanna say I love each and
everyone of y’all. The ones that’s popping now, the ones that’s about to be
popping,” Elliott added.

“But I want to give a big, big shoutout to the godmothers of this, and
that is Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Sha-Rock, Angie Stone, Roxanne Shanté,
Yo-Yo, MC Lyte, Salt-N-Pepa. I know I’m probably missing some, but all of y’all
that started before me, because y’all are the backs that we stand on. Y’all are
the foundation. Y’all ran so we could walk, y’all stood up for something so we
could sit comfortably, so I thank y’all for this moment.”

In an interview before receiving her
Walk of Fame star, Elliot talked about how she felt regarding the honour.

“When you get to this place in your career, when you get
to be amongst so many stars, it’s a blessing,” she told Variety. “Even when
people might think I’d taken off, I was still working constantly and never had
the chance to realise what I’ve done to get me to this place. So I am thankful
that I’m here, and to everyone who thought I can be amongst these stars, I am
grateful for sure.”

Elliott was introduced by her manager of 25 years, Mona Scott-Young, along with ‘Lose Control’ collaborator Ciara and Lizzo, who all gave speeches honouring the rapper.

“She
paved the way for me and so many others who followed. There is no one like
Missy,” Ciara said as Elliott stood, visibly moved, beside her.

“She oozes with boundless
creativity, a visionary, the epitome of true artistry. Strength, integrity and
grit. She created genre-blurring sounds of a modern hitmaker that continues to
define space and time.”

During her speech, Lizzo called Elliott “the brightest star in the universe” and talked about having watched the rapper from an early age. “I watched you my entire life, and I saw a superstar in you, but I also saw myself,” a tearful Lizzo told Elliott.

“I’d never seen myself before. You lived so boldly and so beautifully
and so unapologetically, so out loud. You have no idea what you have done for
so many Black girls.”

“Missy Elliott has broken through the
barriers of the male-dominated Hip Hop world, and music industry as a whole, as
she has led the way for many women who have followed in her footsteps. She
continues to break barriers year after year and we’re thrilled to be able to
honour her on the Walk of Fame,” said Ana Martinez, Hollywood Walk of Fame
Producer, in a statement.

Elliot, who is also a songwriter and
record producer has sold more than 30 million records in the US. In 2019, she
became the first female rapper to be inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Elliott
has released six studio albums, from 1997 debut ‘Supa Dupa Fly’ to 2005’s ‘The
Cookbook’. She has won four Grammys – in 2002 for ‘Get Ur Freak On’, in 2003
for ‘Scream a.k.a. Itchin”, in 2004 for ‘Work It’ and in 2006 for ‘Lose
Control’.

----Silviya.Y