Missy Elliott’s music has now reached Venus.
NASA took her 1997 debut solo single, “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” and sent it to Venus using the Deep Space Network on July 12. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California transmitted the song over 158 million miles at light speed. It took about 14 minutes for the radio signal to travel from Earth to Venus—Missy’s favorite planet. She joins the Beatles as one of the few artists with this honor.
Excitedly, Missy Elliott posted on X: “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 from NASA’s Office of Communications pitched this idea to Missy’s team. She said that both space exploration and Missy’s music are about pushing boundaries. Since Missy often uses space themes in her videos, working together was a perfect match.
I think it’s really cool when art meets science like this.
Right now, Missy Elliott is on her first headlining tour across North America with Ciara, Busta Rhymes, and Timbaland. Her shows are full of energy as she performs big hits and lesser-known tracks from her long career.
