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Missy Elliott is now a star amongst the literal stars, or at least her music is. NASA beamed the rapper’s 1997 debut solo single “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to Venus using their Deep Space Network last Friday, July 12. The agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California sent the transmission 158 million miles from Earth to Venus—Elliott’s favorite planet—at the speed of light, with the radio frequency signal taking roughly 14 minutes to reach its destination. Elliott’s now the second artist to ever have that honor, 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 👽👽”
Brittany Brown, the Digital and Technology Division Director at NASA’s Office of Communications, is responsible for pitching the idea to Missy Elliott’s team. “Both space exploration and Missy Elliott’s art have been about pushing boundaries,” she said. “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.”
Missy Elliott is currently in the midst of her first-ever headlining tour, bringing her across North America with Ciara, Busta Rhymes, and Timbaland. Much like her show-stopping medley performance to celebrate her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last fall, the tour sees Elliott busting out longtime hits and deep cuts alike to celebrate her storied musical career.
Read about “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” at No. 5 on Pitchfork’s list “The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s.”
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