Missy Elliott is heading to New Orleans this summer.
Yesterday (April 20), ESSENCE revealed the Grammy Award-winning rapper and producer as its latest headliner for the 29th annual ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Elliott joins Megan Thee Stallion and Lauryn Hill as the event’s lead performers.
This year’s experience will be one to remember as it celebrates hip hop’s 50th birthday. Joining the trio of female rappers at the event are Doug E. Fresh and Jermaine Dupri. While Fresh is expected to put on a show spotlighting hip hop pioneers, Dupri will recognize So So Def turning 30 with a performance featuring Atlanta artists.
In a statement, the festival’s Vice President Hakeem Holmes spoke on the upcoming event. “As we gear up to celebrate the ‘50th Anniversary of Hip Hop,’ we couldn’t think of a better way to honor the contributions the genre has made on global culture and the impressions that these artists and their deep musical catalogs, which we all know so well, have been ingrained into the fibers of our day to day lives,” he shared.
The fest will take place from June 29 to July 3. But, while fans wait for the date to arrive, Elliott’s recent music can occupy their time. Last month, the Virginia-born songwriter teamed up with R&B group FLO for their single “Fly Girl.” The song’s title and several lyrics are sampled from Elliott’s 2002 track “Work It.” The 51-year-old producer also hopped on Chlöe Bailey’s single “Told Ya” from her debut album In Pieces.
According to Variety, the music industry veteran may release her new album in the summer. During an interview with Timbaland, the hitmaker told the outlet he was working with Elliott on her forthcoming project.
“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,” Timbaland shared. “I want it to sound how she looks — she looks incredible right now. We both look like we 19. 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.”