Person · Female
Missy Elliott
American rapper, singer, dancer & record producer
- From
- Portsmouth, United States
- Since
- 1971–present
- Rating
- ★ 4.75
- Releases
- 113
- hip hop
- pop rap
- southern hip hop
- contemporary r&b
- hip house
- dance
- hip hop soul
- pop
About
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971), also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She began her musical career as a member of the R&B girl group Sista during the 1990s, who were part of the larger musical collective Swing Mob, led by DeVante Swing of Jodeci. Sista signed with Elektra Records to release their debut album, 4 All the Sistas Around da World (1994), which was critically praised but commercially unsuccessful. She collaborated with the album's producer and Swing Mob cohort Timbaland to work in songwriting and production for other acts, yielding commercially successful releases for 702, Aaliyah, SWV, and Total.
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Elliott re-emerged as a solo act with several collaborative efforts and guest appearances by 1996. The following year, she released her debut solo album, Supa Dupa Fly, which peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200 and topped Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 20 single "Sock It 2 Me" (featuring Da Brat). Her second album, Da Real World (1999), produced the singles "She's a Bitch", "All n My Grill" (featuring Big Boi and Nicole Wray), and "Hot Boyz" (remixed featuring Lil' Mo, Nas, Eve and Q-Tip). The latter song set a 19-year record for most weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs and spent 18 weeks atop the Hot Rap Songs chart.
Elliott's third and fourth albums, Miss E... So Addictive (2001) and Under Construction (2002) made her the sole recipient of both Grammy Awards for Best Female Rap Solo Performance with their respective songs "Scream a.k.a. Itchin" (featuring Timbaland) and "Work It". Furthermore, the albums peaked at numbers two and three on the Billboard 200, respectively, while "Work It" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Her fifth and sixth albums, This Is Not a Test! (2003) and The Cookbook (2005), followed thereafter; the latter matched Under Construction on the Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top three single, "Lose Control" (featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop). Following a long-term hiatus, her debut extended play, Iconology (2019) marked her first release in 14 years.
Elliott has received numerous accolades, including four Grammy Awards. Her overall discography has sold 40 million records worldwide, making her the best-selling female rapper in Nielsen Music history according to Billboard. She was the first female rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and to receive the MTV VMA's Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, for her impact on the music video landscape. In 2020, Billboard ranked her at No. 5 on their list of the 100 greatest music video artists of all time. In 2021, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2023, she became the first female rapper to be nominated and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2024, Elliott was honored as the 2022 recipient of the National Medal of Arts.
Member of
Discography
Albums
Singles
-
Back and Forth
-
Dexplicit & Missy Elliot - Lickshots (Bradderz 20 Year Anniversary Mash It Up)
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RATATA
-
WORK IT (REMIX)
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Fly Girl
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G3t Ur Fr3@k On (Liam Davis Edit)
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Trampoline
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Lobby
-
NAILS
-
Cool Off
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ATM
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Why I Still Love You
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Tempo
-
Don't Judge Me
-
DripDemeanor
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Get It
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I’m Better
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Strive
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This Is for My Girls
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Pep Rally Apple Music
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WTF (Where They From) Apple Music
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BURNITUP!
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Missy Elliott
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9th Inning Apple Music
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Triple Threat Apple Music
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Work
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Whatcha Think About That
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Get Involved
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Fakin' It
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I Could've Loved You
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Ching-A-Ling
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Just Fine (Moto & Blanco Vox) / Gossip Folks (dirty South Bootleg)
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We Run This (X-Press 2 Remixes) Apple Music
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Turn da Lights Off
-
Lose Control (breaks mix)
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Lose Control
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Gotta Getchu
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1, 2 Step
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Pass That Dutch
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Ugly
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Wake Up
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I'm Really Hot
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Party to Damascus
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Cop That Shit
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(When Kim Say) Can You Hear Me Now?
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A New Groove: A New Jean
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Call Me / 4 My People
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Gossip Folks
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Work It
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Oops (Oh My)
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4 My People
-
Take Away
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One Minute Man
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Lick Shots
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Get Ur Freak On
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Freakism
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Burnin' Up
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You Don’t Know, Volume 2
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Hot Boyz
-
All n My Grill
Compilations
Other
-
Little Miss (Misdemeanor)
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Keep Pushin’ (Missy Elliott remix) (From the Original Motion Picture “The Color Purple”)
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You Wish (remix)
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Trampoline (Cedric Gervais Remix)
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Don’t Judge Me (Country Club Martini Crew remix)
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Move Like a Snake
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Do It
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Get Ur Freak On (Initial Talk Remix)
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Level Up (remix)
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This Is Me (The Reimagined Remix)
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REDMERCEDES (remix)
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I'm Better Apple Music
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Get Ur Freak On (Tsukii remix)
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Ghostbusters (I'm Not Afraid) (Theme from ''Ghostbusters'')
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How Ya Doin'?
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Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
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Best Best (Two Fingers remix)
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We Run This (High Contrast remix) Apple Music
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Teary Eyed (Dance Mixes)
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Teary Eyed
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Pass That Dutch (Serge Santiágo re-edit)
-
Car Wash
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Fighting Temptation / Summertime
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Back in the Day
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I'm Really Hot / Keep It Movin
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Lights, Camera, Action! (remix)
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Hits of Miss E... The Videos Volume 1
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Get Ur Freak On
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All N My Grill (MC Solaar Remix)
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She's A Bitch (Blaze 2000 Remixes)
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Respect My Hustle
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She's A Bitch (Stanton Warriors Bootleg Edit)
Links
Listen
Official
Concerts
Collaboration
Instrumental supporting musician
Also known as
M. Elliott · Melissa Arnette Elliott · Melissa Elliott · Misdemeanor · Misdemeanor of Sista · Miss Elliot · Missdemeanor · Missie Elliot · Missy · Missy "Misdemeanour" Elliott · Missy "Missdemeanor" Elliott · Missy E · Missy Eliot · Missy Eliott · Missy Elliot · Missy Elliot, Total · Missy M. Elliot · Missy M. Elliott · Missy Misdemeanor Elliot · Missy Misdemeanor Elliott · Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot · Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott · miss E · ミッシー・エリオット
Tags
- best female artist
- best female rapper
- best female singer
- god
- rap
- sxsw
- timbaland
- top 10
- top 100
- top 5
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- a0b8cb9e-7532-45fe-a74c-30e7c4009a39
- ISNI
- 0000000078397539
- ISNI
- 0000000368468884
- IPI
- 00335960842
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 10 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.