Music fans across the world are thrilled to see that Missy Elliott is back, and just as good as ever. The massively influential female rapper has made great strides for women in the industry, and released a plethora of fantastic material along the way. Although she had taken a hiatus in recent years, Missy Elliott released "WTF ft. Pharell Wiliams" in a momentous return-to-form that had many in the industry buzzing. Further, her Super Bowl halftime performance let fans know that she hadn't lost a bit of her power in the years she took off. In a new interview with Billboard, Elliott discusses her influence over popular female rappers such as Nicki Minaj, and the state of women in this industry.
Regarding the inspiration Minaj has drawn from her, Elliott said, "Unfortunately, breaking news, there is only one Missy." While Nick's fans may take issue with the blithe dismissal of her talents, they would be hard-pressed to deny Elliott's statements. However, Elliott backtracked for a moment, admitting that in her time, "It was me, [Lil'] Kim, Lauryn [Hill], Eve, Foxy [Brown], Trina. There's room for so many. It's important."
Elliott also acknowledged that in releasing music today (10 years after her most recent album The Cookbook) she would face new challenges, saying, "I have to be very careful. It's different now. People are quick to be like, 'You're irrelevant, you're a flop, you're washed up.' "
Elliott also discussed the necessity for change and eclecticism in her career. She told Billboard, "If I wanted to do The Missing Files of Missy Elliott, I have probably six albums just sitting there. But it was much needed. People hadn't realized that I haven't just been an artist, I've been a writer and a producer for other artists. When you're writing that much, your brain is like a computer. You have refresh it."
