Missy Elliott‘s debut solo single ‘The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)’ has been launched into outer space by NASA.
The agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California sent the transmission using their Deep Space Network, 158million miles from Earth to Venus at the speed of light last Friday (July 12), with the radio frequency signal taking roughly 14 minutes to reach its destination.
“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, Digital and Technology Division Director at NASA’s Office of Communications, also told Pitchfork: “Both space exploration and Missy Elliott’s art have been about pushing boundaries. 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.”
YOOO this is crazy! We just went #OutOfThisWorld with @NASA and sent the FIRST hip hop song into space through the Deep Space Network. My song “The Rain” has officially been transmitted all the way to Venus, the planet that symbolizes strength, beauty and empowerment. The sky is… pic.twitter.com/g6HofNQSt1
— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) July 15, 2024
Among the Elliott videos in which space has featured are Sock It 2 Me‘.
A number of tracks have previously made their way into space thanks to British astronaut Tim Peake, including Muse‘s single ‘Starlight’, Queen‘s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, U2’s ‘Beautiful Day’ and Coldplay’s ‘A Sky Full Of Stars’.
Meanwhile, last November, Missy Elliott became the first female rapper to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
The Virginia rapper was inducted by Queen Latifah, who highlighted Elliott as a pivotal figure in the development of women in hip-hop.
“First of all, I’m not even gonna start without thanking God,” Elliott said at the time. “I’ve been through so many ups and downs and I know where my gifts come from. God has brought me all the way here. He has allowed me to meet some incredible people along the way.”
She went on to thank the other inductees, which included Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners.
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