Katy Perry was the star of Sunday's Super Bowl XLIX halftime show, but Missy Elliott stole plenty of thunder during her short three-song appearance. The hip-hop star has long been out of the mainstream spotlight, and now she's reaping the benefits of playing the largest concert in the history of the planet.

"I've been performing for 20 something years, and I have never experienced such anxiety," Missy told Sway In The Morning (via VIBE). "The day of the show I prayed all the way up to the stage. I went in praying."

According halftime executive producer Ricky Kirshner, Missy's role came about because Perry needed a minute during the set to apply her safety harness for the epic "Firework" ending.

"You don't always have to have a guest [for the halftime performance], but there was a moment where we had to get Katy into the harness for her flying finale, and Katy suggested Missy," Kirshner said (via Billboard).

Missy told Sway she assumed she would simply be performing one of Perry's songs, and was shocked when Perry told her she would get to rap her classic hits.

"I've cried. I've cried and I've cried," Missy said. "They were all tears of joy."

The performance created a whole new fan base out of thin air, including kids who thought she was a new artist:

Elliott obviously handled the whole thing with aplomb, and sent out several memorable tweets this week:

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