>
American rapper, songwriter and producer, Missy Elliot has been nominated for the 2019 Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF).
The songwriter, who crafted songs for Beyonce and late Whitney Houston is the first female rapper nominated for the prestigious prize and could also become the third rapper to enter the organization following recent inductees Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri.
According to the list released by the organisers on Thursday, others joining Elliott as performing nominees are Mariah Carey, Chrissie Hynde, Vince Gill, Mike Love, Jimmy Cliff, and John Prine, among others.
Non-performing nominees are Jack Tempchin, Dean Dillon, Jerry Fuller, Tom T. Hall, Roger Nichols and Dallas Austin, who wrote hits for TLC, Madonna, Monica, Pink and Boyz II Men.
Elliott, who came on the music scene alongside mega-producer Timbaland, also worked on multiple songs for the late icon, Aaliyah, as well as Carey, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige and Destiny’s Child.
Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years. Six songwriters, or songwriting groups, will be officially inducted at the Hall’s 50th annual Induction & Awards Gala in New York on June 13, 2019.
Eligible members can vote for three non-performing songwriters and three performing songwriters until December 17.
Elliott, is one of pop music’s most sought producers and songwriters, in addition to creating her own well-known hits, from “Get Ur Freak On” to “Work It” to “Lose Control.”
R&B singers and girl groups heavily benefited from her songwriting work in the ’90s and ’00s. Elliott churned out hits like “Where My Girls At,” which reached Number 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and Monica’s “So Gone,” a No. 1 R&B hit and Top 10 pop success.
Though it sampled LaBelle’s mid-’70s hit “Lady Maramlade,” Elliott re-worked the song into a modern classic in 2001, starring Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lil Kim and Mya. It went on to win a Grammy and top the Hot 100 chart for five weeks.