Posted by | Ray Cornelius 

ESSENCE has announced that it will be honoring Grammy-winning hip-hop star, singer and songwriter and producer MISSY ELLIOTT during the 2018 “Black Women in Music” Celebration. She will be recognized as an “entertainment icon” on January 25, 2018 at NYC’s Highline Ballroom.

“The artistry of Missy Elliott cuts across generations—underscored by her vast creative accomplishments and contributions to the culture,” said Vanessa De Luca, ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief.  “So prolific is her work, she is an inspiration to women all over the world.  Missy’s energetic presence is truly magnetic and we can’t wait to celebrate her as one of the artistic masterminds of our time.”

A consummate visionary whose creativity knows no limits, Missy has continuously pushed the boundaries in her work to shift the culture for the better across multiple industries including music, dance, fashion, film, television and art. Her authentic celebration of Black culture broke barriers for women in Hip Hop and music as a whole, while her creative genius influenced the tone of an entire music era alongside fellow superproducers Timbaland and Pharrell Williams.