Missy Elliott Song Sent Into Outer Space By NASA
Missy Elliott has had her debut single The Rain (Super Dupa Fly) sent into space. NASA beamed the track to Venus using its Deep Space Network last Friday 12 July.
The agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California sent the transmission 158 million miles from Earth to Venus — Elliott’s favourite planet — at the speed of light, with the radio frequency signal taking roughly 14 minutes to reach its destination. Elliott’s the second artist to ever have that honour, following The Beatles.
“YOOO this is crazy! We just went #OutOfThisWorld with @NASA and sent the FIRST hip hop song into space through the Deep Space Network,” Missy Elliott wrote on X. “My song ‘The Rain’ has officially been transmitted all the way to Venus, the planet that symbolizes strength, beauty and empowerment. The sky is not the limit, it’s just the beginning 👽👽.”
Supa-flying to Venus!
For the first time, a hip-hop song was transmitted #OutOfThisWorld. @MissyElliott's "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" traveled 158 million miles to Venus through NASA's Deep Space Network from @NASAJPL's Deep Space Station 13 in California: https://t.co/Gg5ibm80hb pic.twitter.com/BwsdTNNqCv
— NASA (@NASA) July 15, 2024
Brittany Brown, the Digital and Technology Division Director at NASA’s Office of Communications stated “Both space exploration and Missy Elliott’s art have been about pushing boundaries. Missy has a track record of infusing space-centric storytelling and futuristic visuals in her music videos, so the opportunity to collaborate on something out of this world is truly fitting.”
Produced by Timbaland, Missy Elliott’s The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), taken from her debut album Supa Dupa Fly, marked her emergence as a force to be reckoned with in hip-hop and R&B.
The single debuted at No 3 on the US Billboard 200 with 129,000 copies sold in the first week released, becoming the highest debut for a female rapper at the time, and topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The track’s innovative production by Timbaland and its unique music video directed by Hype Williams left a lasting impact on the music industry, establishing Elliott as a creative force and setting the stage for her successful career.
Missy Elliott is currently in the midst of her first-ever headlining tour, with shows across North America supported by Ciara, Busta Rhymes, and Timbaland