Missy Elliott and Her Uncompromising Style ‘Work It’ on Elle Cover

Missy Elliott has always marched to the beat of her own drum.

She forever changed the music industry with the 1997 release of her debut album, “Supa Dupa Fly.” Produced by fellow Virginia native Timbaland, it was jam-packed with pulsating tracks like “Hit ’Em wit da Hee” and “Sock It 2 Me” that made your shoulders bounce uncontrollably.

Missy‘s lyricism fused R&B and hip-hop in a way that embodied and embraced all of her complexities. Not to mention, the music video for “The Rain,” when she sported a blown-up garbage bag suit with crazy headgear and glossy black lipstick, was a career-defining moment. Solange recently paid style homage to Missy at the 2017 Met Gala in a straight-off-the-runway Thom Browne look.

Missy‘s musical dopeness has without a doubt contributed to her longevity, and she has pushed the limits of what it means to be an artist without compromising. The 45-year-old covers Elle‘s June Women in Music issue and candidly talks about what it took to “build a legacy.” She says:

While not fitting the stereotypical mold of what a female rapper looks like, Missy’s style is just as big, bold, and beautiful. So it’s no surprise that Elle and Marc Jacobs (whose fall/winter 2017 designs set off the entertainer on the magazine cover) are inspired by her tenacity.

Thank you, Missy, for teaching us that nothing looks better than being the very best version of yourself.

Pick up Elle’s Women in Music issue on newsstands now to read the entire interview with Missy Elliott.

Read more from Yahoo Beauty & Style:

• Missy Elliott Transforms for Marc Jacobs’ Fall 2016 Campaign

• There’s a New Missy Elliott Video and It’s Obviously the Best

• The Internet is Begging for Missy Elliott x M.A.C.

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