Melissa Arnette Elliott, sometimes known Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott, or just simply Missy Elliott, was born on July 1, 1971. Many consider Missy Elliott as the best female rapper of the mid-1990s and early-2000’s. She began her musical career working in the all-female group Sista and later Swing Mob before beginning her solo career in 1997 with the release of her debut album Supa Dupa Fly. Supa Dupa Fly peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 1.2 million copies, giving Missy her first platinum certification.

She began the 2000s with three hit albums in a row, Miss E… So Addictive, Under Construction, and This Is Not a Test!. Missy has spent most of the last decade producing songs for other artists like Keyshia Cole, Jazmine Sullivan, and Monica.