Missy elliott sons

A four-time Grammy Award-winning rapper, singer, songwriter, dancer and producer, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott has consistently pushed the boundaries of hip hop with a string of classic hit singles — such as "Get Ur Freak On," "Work It," "Lose Control" and "Gossip Folks.

Missy elliott date of birth

Elliott is a positive role model who projects strength, confidence and female empowerment — but has never sacrificed her sense of fun or her capacity to entertain. She is the only child of Ronnie, a U. Marine at the time of her birth, and Patricia, who later worked for a power company. While Ronnie was still a Marine, the family lived in a mobile home in Jacksonville, North Carolina, but he struggled for work after his military service and they moved back to Portsmouth, living in a rat-infested shack.

Ronnie was violent, and beat Patricia in front of their daughter; Elliott experienced more trauma at age eight when she was raped by an older cousin. She wrote to Michael and Janet Jackson, begging them to come and save her — she already knew she wanted a future in music. They never wrote back. But sometimes we'll be in a club together and I'll find myself thinking, 'But you never wrote me back when I needed you.

As Elliott entered her teens, Ronnie became even more violent toward Patricia and Elliott begged her mom to escape from him and take her, too. This finally happened when Elliott was 14, though life continued to be a struggle financially. Elliott grew up in the Baptist faith and has said that her religious beliefs will always be a large part of her life.

She explained in that her faith helped her cope with her childhood abuse — and subsequent depression.

Missy elliott children

While she was still at school she formed a girl group, Sista, and after auditioning for the producer DeVante Swing, they were signed to his label, Swing Mob Records — and Elliott, who by now had finished her education, moved to New York. But her big break turned out to be a false start, as the label folded before Sista's debut album — most of which Elliott had written herself — was ever released.

After Sista split up, Elliott continued writing and producing songs, often working with her childhood friend, the producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley — crafting tracks for Aaliyah and SWV, among others.