Hip-hop artists have been a part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 broke that ceiling in 2007. Nine other rap artists have been inducted since then, but it wasn’t until this year that a female hip-hop act made the cut. Appropriately, the woman to break that ground is Missy Elliott, entering the Hall in her first year of eligibility.
Going by the criteria I mentioned in yesterday’s post, Elliott is a no-brainer for inclusion in the Hall. Unless you believe hip-hop has no place in the institution whatsoever — an argument that clearly isn’t accepted by the Hall itself — I can’t see a case against inviting her.
Her recorded output isn’t vast — just six studio albums between 1997 and 2005 — but every one of her releases has gone at least platinum. Elliott has also been a featured artist on nearly 50 singles, and she has an impressive track record as a songwriter and producer for other artists. Musically, she effectively bridged R&B and rap and proved to be a reliable hitmaker with crossover appeal.
Elliott is unquestionably one of the most influential hip-hop artists. She paved the way for every female rapper in the business, and her innovative music videos created a blueprint for countless hip-hop acts.
The Rock Hall has been criticized for overlooking deserving women artists. I’m glad to see they got this one right.
Yo, yo yo move out of the way
We got Missy Elliott coming through
Girl, that is Missy Elliott she lost a lot of weight
I heard she eat one cracker a day
Girl, well I heard the bitch was married to Tim’ and started fuckin’ with Trina
I heard the bitch got hit by three zebras and a monkey
I can’t stand the bitch no way
[Verse 1: Missy Elliott]
When I walk up in the piece
I ain’t gotta even speak
I’m a bad mamajama
Goddammit, motherfucker, you ain’t gotta like me
How you stuntin’ these hoes?
Need to talk, what you know
And stop talkin’ ’bout who I’m stickin’ and lickin’
Just mad it ain’t yours
I know y’all poor, y’all broke
Y’all job just hangin’ up clothes
Step to me, get burnt like toast
Motherfuckers, adios, amigos
Hop, hop, pose, pose
I don’t brag, I mostly boast
From the VA to the LA coast
Izzo kizzay, lezzy goh
[Chorus]
Millze cillzan sillzome plilzay dilzzouble dilzutch
Hilzzoo?
My gizzirl
Brillzing her izzin
Izzo kizzay
Izzall rizzight
Izzo kizzay
Izzall rizzight! Nizzow wizzee wilzzo-izzo-zee
[Verse 2: Missy Elliott]
When I pull up in my whip
Bitches wanna talk shit
I’m drivin’, I’m glidin’, I’m stylin’
And these motherfuckers ask, “Did you see it?”
I’m grippin’ these curbs
Skrrt, did ya heard?
I love ’em, my feathers, my furs, ahh
I fly like a bird
Chickenheads on the prowl
Who you tryna **** now?
Now you ain’t gettin’ loud
Better calm down ‘fore I smack your ass down
I need my drums, bass, high hat
Has to be my snare, strings, horns, yes
I need my Tim’ sound, right, left
Izzo kizzay, looky here
[Chorus]
Millze cillzan sillzome plilzay dilzzouble dilzutch
Hilzzoo?
My gizzirl
Brillzing her izzin
Izzo kizzay
Izzall rizzight
Izzo kizzay
Izzall rizzight! Nizzow wizzee wilzzo-izzo-zee
[Bridge: Missy]
I don’t go out my house, shorty, you just waitin’ to see
Who I’m gon’ roll up in the club with then report that next week
Just wanna see who I am ****, boy sniffing some coke
I know by the time I finish this line, I’ma hear this on the radio
[Verse 3: Ludacris]
Yeah, uh huh, okay
Once upon a time in College Park
Where they live life fast and they scared of dark
There was a little nigga by the name of Chris
Nobody paid him any mind, no one gave a shit
Knowin’ he could rap, no one lifted hands
So he went about his business and devised a plan
Made a CD and then he hit the block
Fifty thousand sold, seven dollars a pop
Hold the phone, three years later
Stepped out the swamp in ten-and-a-half gators
Now all around the world on the microphone
He leave the booth smellin’ like Burberry cologne
Still ridin’ chrome
Got bitches in the kitchen, never home alone
And he’s on the grind
Please let me know if he’s on your mind
And respect, you’ll give me
Ludacris, I live loud like Timmay (Uh)
Fuck, have to clear these rumors
I got a headache, and it’s not a tumor
Get up on my lap and get my head tucked tight
Sprayed, so I never let the bedbugs bite
Hard to the core, core to the rotten
Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton
Yahh!
[Chorus]
Millze cillzan sillzome plilzay dilzzouble dilzutch
Hilzzoo?
My gizzirl
Brillzing her izzin
Izzo kizzay
Izzall rizzight
Izzo kizzay
Izzall rizzight! Nizzow wizzee wilzzo-izzo-zee
[Outro Skit]
Yo, straight up Missy killed that shit tonight for real
I know, I know, I don’t really care about her being pregnant by Michael Jackson
You know what we should do?
We should go get her album when it come out
There she go, there she go, there she—
Hi Missy
Hi Missy?
What’s up fools?
You think I ain’t knowin y’all broke, Milli Vanilli
J.J. Fad wannabes ain’t over here gossipin’ ’bout me?
Yo, how bout you buff these Pumas for twenty cents
So your lights won’t get cut off
You soggy breasts, cow stomachs
Yo, take those baby GAP shirts off, too
You just mad ’cause Payless ran outa plastic pumps for the after party
Yo, by the way, go get my album
Damn
[Outro]
Millze cillzan sillzome plilzay dilzzouble dilzutch
Hilzzoo?
My gizzirl
Brillzing her izzin
Meet Me In Montauk 
I can’t say that I’m all that familiar with Missy Elliott beyond her big hits like “Get Ur Freak On” and “Work It,” but I’ll take your word for it with regard to her influence and worthiness for Hall induction.