Missy Elliott reacts to nomination for Rock & Roll of Fame’s 2023 class

When the nominees for the Rock & Roll of Fame’s 2023 class were announced Tuesday, it was revealed that Missy Elliott was among the lucky bunch. The groundbreaking nomination makes her the first woman in the category of hip-hop to be recognized, an honor she hopes can pave the way for other women in the genre.

“I’ve spent my career making the kind of music I love and it means so much to know that I have touched others as well,” Missy said in a statement. “But to hear that I am the first female hip hop artist to EVER be nominated into the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame?!? Wow!! This one hits extra different as I hope it opens doors for other female emcees to be recognized!”

Missy is one of 14 nominees and one of eight first-timers on the ballot. She secured the nomination in her first year of eligibility, which Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Jason Hanley tells ABC Audio is due to her catalog, creativity and influence in multiple roles within the music industry.

“Some of the way she chose to produce her own sound, with these kind of glitchy sounds or things that would mix up, samples, the way she rapped over the top of that, the way she sort of expressed these different things in the music, these were very unusual. And now you see that style copied by so many other different artists,” he explained, also praising her visual presentation.

“It’s not just her as a performer, it’s her with so many things she’s done as a label owner, a producer, an innovator in music video and songwriting and sound,” Hanley continued. “Hip-hop sounded different after Missy Elliott.” (AUDIO IS ABC 1-ON-1)

HOF inductees will be announced in May; for now, Missy’s enjoying the “incredible honor.”

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