Missy Elliott’s star power speaks for itself but now, the artist’s work lives among the stars. NASA has sent the first hip-hop song into outer space: Elliott’s breakout solo single, 1997’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).”
The partnership is fitting considering Elliott’s track record of outer space references, such as battling space robots in the “Sock It 2 Me” video. Appearing on her Supa Dupa Fly LP, the song was produced by Timbaland and marked Elliott’s debut as a solo artist after the dissolution of the group Sista.
NASA beamed the song 158 miles to Venus using its Deep Space Network, a system of radio antennas created to transmit scientific data from space. Elliott’s track is only the second ever song to be sent to space by NASA, following a 2008 transmission of the Beatles’ “Across the Universe.”
It took 14 minutes for “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to reach the planet, which is the same rate as the speed of light, according to NASA.
“I still can’t believe I’m going out of this world with NASA through the Deep Space Network when “The Rain” (Supa Dupa Fly) becomes the first ever hip-hop song to transmit to space,” Elliot said. “I chose Venus because it symbolizes strength, beauty, and empowerment and I am so humbled to have the opportunity to share my art and my message with the universe!”
