Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Melissa Arnette Elliott was born July 1st, 1971 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She is the only female rapper in America to have produced

 six platinum albums...with record sales exceeding 7-million.  Better known as Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, her early rise to fame, however, came at a 'felonious'  price.

 

At the age of eight, Elliott was raped almost every day for a year by an older cousin, before an aunt finally noticed the abuses. "No matter how many years later, it's something that affects me every day...and will live with me forever," Elliott stated. 

 

She also had an abusive father who beat Missy's mother daily, and then missy as well when she was 14.  After pulling a gun and forcing both outside of their home naked, Missy and her mother both left her father... never to return.  "My mother soon realized how strong she was on her own, and that made me strong too", said Missy. From that point on it was all uphill for the sharp-minded Elliott, who was actually advanced two years ahead in grade school. 

 

In 1990, Elliott and three other girls formed an R and B group called 'Sista', which was produced by neighborhood friend Timothy Mosley.  Within a year their demo tracks caught the ear of famous 'Jodeci' band producer De Vante Swing, who moved the band to New York, signed them to 'Electra' records, and created the new, 20-member "Swing Mod"....which included future stars 'Ginuwine', 'Playa' and "Tweet'.

 

All 20 members lived together in one-single, two story house, working on 'Jodeci'  material and and thier own projects.  Missy also wrote and rapped for 'Raven-Symone', and 'Jodeci's lbums 'Diary of a Mad Band', 'The Show', 'The After Party' and 'The Hotel'.  But, in 1995 Swing Mod folded, and Missy moved on with friend and producer Mosley.(newly named Timbaland) 

 

The new songwriting production team then crafted tracks for acts such as 'SWV', '702' and most notably 'Aaliyah', who's album "One in a Million" went platinum.(Elliott and Timbaland producing 9 of the tracks)  This would launch them both to star status.  Over the past 14-years Elliott's vocals and lyrics produced by Timberland have blessed the rap world with album hits 'Supa Dupa Fly', 'Da Real World', 'Mis E...So Addictive', 'Under Construction', 'This Is Not a Test', 'The Cookbook', and 'Block Party'.

 

During it all, Elliott has added acting to her performance resume, appearing in four films including "Fade to Black", and "Just for Kids"....as well as numerous TV appearances in shows like "Family Matters", "The Wayans Brothers", and "MTV Cribs".  She's also made plans for a biographical film with Robert De Niro as one of the interested producers.  The script is almost finished.

 

In her personal life, Elliott says she wants to start a family someday, despite rumors about her sexual orientation.  "I don't need a man to make me happy without making MYSELF happy first', she declares. Meanwhile, her body of work has already made millions in the rap world...very happy!

  

 

Thanks, that's a rap!

 

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