Jennifer Hudson is looking supa dupa fly!
The EGOT winner, 42, underwent an iconic transformation for her self-titled daytime talk show’s Halloween episode this year, and PEOPLE has the first look at her in action!
In celebration of 50 years of hip-hop, Hudon’s treating viewers to a “Hip-Hop Halloween.” And she’s leading the way by paying homage to Missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliott, one of the female rappers who paved the way for women in the genre.
She starts the show, as seen in PEOPLE’s exclusive video, doing a lip-sync performance of Missy’s 1997 hit “The Rain” while dressed in an oversized, inflatable black jumpsuit — just as Elliott had done in legendary music video.
Chris Millard/Warner Bros
It didn’t just start and stop at the jumpsuit. Rocking a dark-colored lip, Hudson paired her costume with shades that were intertwined in a glittery gold headpiece just like Elliott rocked in the late ‘90s music video.
The Jennifer Hudson Show‘s cameras even mimicked Elliott’s classic fish-eyed camera close-ups.
Hudson took her performance a step further with rehearsed a routine, complete with several background dancers who wore black jumpsuits as well with white tops underneath. The set was backed with cyclical silver shapes, inspired too by the video for “The Rain.”
Lil’ Kim, Timbaland, Yo-Yo, and other influential artists made cameos in the original music video.
“Now that’s Hip-Hop Halloween,” Hudson said after her mini performance.
Hudson’s television set, which is typically chic, was turned into a tribute to hip-hop with the show title displayed in colorful airbrush lettering on a brick wall. Graffiti and boom boxes also decorated the stage.
“This is how you do Halloween. You already know who I am,” Hudson added as she held up her arms to show her outfit off. The audience, also dressed up for the occasion, cheered in excitement.
Chris Millard/Warner Bros
“Missy Elliott. Misdemeanor in the house. Check me out,” Hudson continued, joking she didn’t understand how the star could see through the custom shades.
“You are a true legend. Nobody does it like the original,” said the Respect actress, of the “Get Ur Freak On” hitmaker.
After deflating the costume just a bit to be able to sit down, the host told her audience that Elliott will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this Friday, making her the first female rapper to do so.
Chris Millard/Warner Bros
Over the summer, Rolling Stone ranked “The Rain” No. 1 on their list of the 150 greatest music videos of all time from the genre.
Elliott responded to the news with a tweet including archival behind-the-scenes footage of her going to a gas station in New York and having the jumpsuit inflated with a tire pump to achieve the desired look for the video shoot.
“The suit blew up so big I couldn’t fit in the car so I had to walk back to set down the street in this outfit in BROOKLYN,” she said on X. “Dem ppl was riding pass like she must be high.”
Chris Millard/Warner Bros
Elsewhere on Wednesday’s Halloween episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show, Hudson’s BFF Walter Williams III makes an appearance dressed as Flavor Flav.
Singer/rapper Coi Leray also makes an appearance to talk about what it was like to open up for Beyoncé on tour. Plus, legendary Sheila E. recalls to Hudson what went down at one of Prince’s epic costume parties.
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Last year Hudson got into the Halloween spirit as another Hollywood icon — Whoopi Goldberg. The Cats star dressed as Sister Mary Clarence from 1992’s Sister Act.
“The movie just meant so much to me as a little girl,” Hudson said at the time. “When I saw that movie, it gave me so much inspiration. That’s the power of an icon like Whoopi Goldberg. It helped me create my dreams.”
The Jennifer Hudson Show airs weekdays (check local listings).
