Missy Elliott has recalled her shock at becoming the first female rapper to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
The hip-hop icon is set to be inducted into the prestigious hall tonight (November 3), and will become the first female rapper to ever receive the honour.
Speaking about the acknowledgement of her discography in a new interview with Good Morning America, Elliott recalled her shock at being chosen and admitted that she initially thought an artist from the hip-hop world made the accomplishment “so far out of reach”.
She also stated that “words cannot describe” what it feels like to be taking to the stage tonight, and that she is particularly pleased to be given the induction this year – as 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
“No matter what people say, the hip-hop world is something special and unique,” she told host Robin Roberts.
She later added how it felt to be alongside fellow 2023 inductees: Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners, saying “To be even at a table with them is a blessing, past a blessing, there’s got to be a bigger word than that.”
Held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will be broadcast live in the US Disney+ ( 8pm ET and 5pm PT). It will also be available to stream on the platform following the ceremony.
Huge names in the world of music, including Stevie Nicks, Elton John, St Vincent, Olivia Rodrigo, Brandi Carlile and Ice-T, will also be among those presenting and performing at the ceremony later tonight.
Others being inducted this year include Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Elton John lyricist Bernie Taupin, DJ Kool Herc and Link Wrap, and Soul Train host Don Cornelius.
Presenting Missy Elliott with the award will be her friend Queen Latifah – who Elliott described in the interview as someone who “come before me, open that door, left it open.”
“I owe so many flowers, bouquets,” she added. “[There’s] not enough bouquets for those women that came before me. And she’s one of those women.”
After the induction, Missy Elliott will be just one of a handful of rappers whose plaques are in the Hall Of Fame museum in Cleveland. Others include Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G. and Public Enemy.
Elsewhere in the interview, Missy Elliot also confirmed that her mother will be in attendance for the ceremony – making it the first-ever performance that she had attended of the rapper. When asked why she has never seen her perform before, Elliott said it was because she often says “little words I didn’t ever want her to hear” in her lyrics.
In other Missy Elliott news, the rapper recently reflected on creating the iconic music video for her track ‘The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)’, recalling a slight wardrobe mishap on the shoot day.
