Missy Elliott, A Tribe Called Quest Are On The Rock Hall Ballot
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has once again included hip-hop legends on its ballot. This year, A Tribe Called Quest is on the ballot – again – and Missy Elliott is on the ballot for the first time. This is her first year of eligibility. To be eligible for nomination, an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. Missy’s first album, Supa Dupa Fly, was released in 1997 (although she was a featured artist on other people’s singles prior to that).
Tribe’s first single as a lead artist was “Description Of A Fool” in 1989. They’ve been eligible since 2015 and were nominated for the first time last year. While they didn’t get voted in, Eminem did get enough votes.
Other hip-hop artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame include Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Run-D.M.C., the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, N.W.A., Tupac Shakur, the Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, LL Cool J and Eminem. Missy Elliott is the first female hip-hop artist ever to be included on the ballot.
Nominee ballots will be sent to an international voting body of more than 1,000 artists, historians, and members of the music industry. An artist’s musical impact and influence on other artists, length and depth of career and body of work as well as innovation and superiority in style and technique are taken into consideration.
Fans around the world can participate in the Induction selection process through the “fan vote.” Through April 28, fans can vote online every day at vote.rockhall.com or in person at the Museum in Cleveland. The top five artists selected by the public will comprise a “fans’ ballot” that will be tallied along with the other ballots to determine the 2023 Inductees.
Inductees will be announced in May. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2023 Induction Ceremony will take place this fall with date, venue, and on-sale information to be announced. Other artists on the ballot include Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against The Machine, Soundgarden, the Spinners, the White Stripes and Warren Zevon.
Missy Elliott Officially Becomes First Woman Rapper Inducted Into Songwriters Hall of Fame
On Thursday night, Missy Elliott made history.
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The songwriter, singer, and rapper officially became the first woman rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, as USA Today reports. Queen Latifah, a fellow woman rapper, inducted Elliott in New York while also paying homage to their long-lasting friendship.
Lizzo, who recently collaborated with Elliott on her latest album, Cuz I Love You, paid homage to Elliott, by performing Elliott’s 1997 single “Sock It 2 Me” alongside Da Brat, who the track features.
Elliott, a native of Virginia, also received a special message from the former first lady Michelle Obama, who chimed in via a pre-recorded video and revealed that she’s a huge fan of the multitalented artist.
“Missy, I want to thank you for all of your trailblazing ways,” Obama said. “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.”
The speeches and performances brought Elliott to tears. During the end of her 10-minute speech, Missy Elliott, a Grammy Award-winning artist broke down crying following a few childhood anecdotes that the “Hot Boyz” rapper told.
“I am thankful,” Elliott said before needing to pause. “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,” a tearful Missy Elliott said, as the crowd applauded and roared with cheers. “I want to say one thing to the writers, to the upcoming writers, ‘Do not give up.’ We all go through writer’s block. Sometimes you just have to walk away from a record and come back to it. But don’t give up because I’m standing here. And this is big for hip-hop, too.”
Following Jay-Z (2017) and Jermaine Dupri (2018), Elliott is only the third rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall. In addition to penning her own songs such as “Work It,” “Lose Control,” and “Get Ur Freak On,” Elliott has written songs for a myriad of other artists, including the late Aaliyah, Whitney Houston, Monica, Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Destiny’s Child, Ariana Grande, Fantasia, Jazmin Sullivan, SWV, Total, 70, Mya, and Tweet, among others.
Elliott joins the 2019 Songwriters Hall roster alongside Cat Stevens and John Prine, among others. In order to be eligible for the induction, songwriters have to pen hit songs for a minimum of 20 years.
Check out photos of Missy Elliott from the induction ceremony below, as well as a few photos of Elliott throughout her career.
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter.
Brian has been working in pop culture and media for about three decades: he’s worked at MTV, VH1, SiriusXM, CBS and Loudwire. Besides working as a writer and an editor-in-chief, he’s also appeared on air as a pundit, guested on radio shows and hosted podcasts. Over the years, he’s interviewed the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, the members of U2, Beyonce, Pink, Usher, Stevie Nicks, Lorde… and is grateful to have had the chance to interview Joe Strummer of the Clash and Tom Petty.
