Missy Elliot Becomes First Female Rapper Nominated for Songwriters Hall of Fame

Missy Elliot Becomes First Female Rapper Nominated for Songwriters Hall of Fame

Songwriter, producer and rapper Missy Elliott has just been announced as one of the nominees for the 2019 Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Missy Elliott who has written for the likes of Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Destiny’s Child, Fantasia, Jazmine Sullivan, Whitney Houston, is the first female rapper nominated for the prestigious prize.

According to Variety, joining the rapper as performing nominees are Mariah Carey, Chrissie Hynde, Vince Gill, Mike Love, Jimmy Cliff, Jeff Lynne, Cat Stevens, John Prine, Lloyd Price and more.

Missy Elliott becomes the first female rapper to be nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fameas part of its class of 2019, it was announced today. Joining Elliott as performing nominees are Mariah Carey, Chrissie Hynde, Vince Gill, the Beach Boys’ Mike Love, Jimmy Cliff, Jeff Lynne, Cat Stevens, John Prine, Lloyd Price, Tommy James and the Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart).

Non-performing nominees are Eagles collaborator Jack Tempchin, Dean Dillon, Jerry Fuller, Tom T. Hall, Roger Nichols and R&B hitmaker Dallas Austin, who wrote hits for TLC, Madonna, Monica, Pink and Boyz II Men.

Nominated non-performing songwriting duos include P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, Russell Brown and the late Irwin Levine, musical theater writers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Bobby Hart and the late Tommy Boyce. The news was first reported by the Associated Press; a rep for the Hall confirmed the news to Variety.

If elected, Elliott would be just the third rapper to be inducted, following Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri. Drake was honored with the organization’s Hal David Starlight Award, which recognizes new talent, in 2011.

On June 13, 2019, six songwriters, or songwriting groups, will be officially inducted at the Hall’s 50th annual Induction & Awards Gala in New York.

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years.