In an extraordinary collaboration, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California has transmitted a hip-hop song 158 million miles from Earth to Venus. Using their Deep Space Network, the transmission of Missy Elliott’s “The Rain” traveled at the speed of light, taking just 14 minutes to reach its destination.
The rapper, known for hits like “Get Ur Freak On,” shared her excitement on X, stating, “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 not the limit, it’s just the beginning.”
Brittany Brown, Digital and Technology Division Director at NASA’s Office of Communications, spoke to Pitchfork about the collaboration. “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,” she said.
This milestone adds to a year of significant achievements for Missy Elliott. Prior to this space transmission, she became the first female rapper inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an honor she once believed was unattainable.
In an appearance on ‘Good Morning America’ before the induction ceremony, Elliott expressed her disbelief. “Words cannot describe. It just hasn’t clicked,” she said.
The 53-year-old music icon attributed her success to the trailblazing women who preceded her, including Queen Latifah. “She’s somebody that, like I said, ‘came before me, opened that door, and left it open.’ I owe so many flowers, bouquets. It’s not enough bouquets for those women that came before me. And she’s one of those women,” Elliott remarked.
Elliott also highlighted the similarities between rock and roll and hip-hop, noting their eclectic nature. “Rock and Roll to me is a gumbo of different styles of music. I think we get this thing where, rock and roll, you gotta have a guitar. It’s like saying hip-hop is just rap when we have incorporated jazz, we have incorporated blues,” she explained.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also welcomed other notable inductees, including Rage Against The Machine, Kate Bush, The Spinners, the late George Michael, and Bernie Taupin.
Missy Elliott’s venture into space with NASA marks a groundbreaking moment for hip-hop, showcasing the genre’s ever-expanding reach and influence.
