Missy Elliott & DJ Kool Herc To Be Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

Missy Elliott and DJ Kool Herc will be officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later this year.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2023 inductees on Tuesday (May 2), with Missy being chosen in the Performer Category on her first year of eligibility, and Kool Herc being honored with the Musical Influence Award. The former is the first female rapper to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Rage Against The Machine, Chaka Khan, Willie Nelson, George Michael, Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, The Spinners, Link Wray, Al Kooper, Bernie Taupin and Don Cornelius round out the group of 2023 inductees.

“This year’s incredible group of inductees reflects the diverse artists and sounds that define rock & roll,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.

“We are honored that this November’s Induction Ceremony in New York will coincide with two milestones in music culture; the 90th birthday of Willie Nelson and the 50th Anniversary of the birth of Hip Hop.”

The induction ceremony will take place on Friday, November 3 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Ticket information will be announced at a later date.

Missy Elliott was nominated for a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in February after her debut album Supa Dupa Fly celebrated its 25th birthday last year.

“I have cried my eyes out,” Missy previously wrote about the nomination on Instagram. “I am so HUMBLY GRATEFUL for this nomination with also 14 other Amazing artist so grateful[.] To All of you & my fans who been through this journey with me I Thank You also 4 helping me get here[.] YOU ROCK.”

Last year’s induction ceremony was equally as Hip Hop-heavy, with Dr. Dre welcoming his protégé Eminem into the Rock Hall with a speech highlighting his historical impact on the rap game.

“Over 20 years ago, Jimmy Iovine, who is also one of tonight’s inductees and one of my best friends, played a demo tape for me from a guy who called himself Eminem,” Dre said. “The first thing I said when I heard it was, ‘What the fuck did he just say?’ I loved it so much that I couldn’t stop listening to it.”

Slim Shady then took to the stage and performed a medley of hits including “Stan,” “My Name Is” and “Rap God,” while also bringing out Steven Tyler, Ed Sheeran and Elton John as special guests.

Previous Hip Hop inductees include JAY-Z, 2Pac, Biggie, Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, N.W.A and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

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The induction news comes after Timbalandshared some details about Missy Elliott’s long-awaited follow-up to 2005’s The Cookbook, which apparently has a “latin feel” to it and could be out as soon as this summer.

“We’ve got a lot of songs we’re gonna start recording soon, and my dream is to have it out around her birthday in July,” he told Variety. “I want it to sound how she looks — she looks incredible right now. We both look like we 19 again. I know how Missy works: It’s got to be new and fun — or maybe not so much new as kind of underground, and everything is upbeat.”

He continued: “Some of it has a kind of Latin feel to it, almost a Bad Bunny effect, some of it’s kinda like underground Brazilian funk. People gonna eat it up — and it might reach just a different demographic of people. It’s like it’s her doing… not reggaeton but Missy-ton.”

This isn’t the first time Timbaland has spoken about having new music in the works with Missy Elliott. The duo teased new tunes back in February, with Missy writing on her Instagram Story: “@timbaland it’s go time.”