The honors keep rolling in for Missy Elliott.
After being the first female rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and then receiving an honorary doctorate of music degree from Boston’s Berklee College of Music, it’s been announced that Elliott will receive the 2019 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The awards ceremony will take place on August 26 at New Jersey’s Prudential Center and besides accepting the honor, the multi-talented musician will perform, which she hasn’t done at the VMAs in 16 years.
Elliott thanked a few people for the award on social media.
“I am Humbly Grateful to be receiving the MichaelJacksonVideoVanguard Award,” she tweeted on Monday. “I Thank my FANS “Supafriends” who fought diligently to see this day come @KidFury @crissles who rooted for years 4 me I am crying happy tears Thank you God @MTV @vmas am SO HUMBLED.”
Others who’ve received the award include Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Rihanna, while Jennifer Lopez got it last year. The trophy is given to those who’ve had longtime success and made a cultural impact throughout their career.
The Vanguard comes after Elliott has already won five Grammy Awards, a slew of MTV Video Music Awards, BET Awards, American Music Awards and Soul Train Awards, and she’s sold 30 million records internationally. Plus, she’s the only female rapper to have six of her LPs go platinum.
“Missy’s impact on the music landscape is indelible,” said MTV talent coordinator and executive producer Bruce Gillmer. “Her creative vision across production, performance and songwriting is unmatched.”
Elliott’s fans sent her some congratulatory words after she tweeted about the honor, and many said it has been a long time coming.
“Girl u been deserved this award,” one person tweeted.
“YASSS!! Missy! You’re the BEST! No one deserves it better than you! Michael would be PROUD.”
With regard to the late singer, MTV hasn’t called the honor the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard in a trailer, possibly over the backlash that came after “Leaving Neverland” aired.
The much-talked-about documentary centered on two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who said Jackson sexually abused them when they were boys.
Jackson’s name is still attached to the award, however, but it seems the network is keeping his name obscured. Elliott, meanwhile, used the full name of the award in her tweet.
