10 Artists Who Owe Their Hit Songs to Missy Elliott

When Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott crashed into our lives with a trash‑bag couture raincoat and an otherworldly flow, she rewired the future of hip‑hop and R&B in real time.

The Portsmouth, VA legend didn’t just drop bops, she built portals, inviting us into a universe where the beat could bounce, bend, or break, and the girls could be anything they dreamed. 

On her birthday, we’re saluting ten boundary‑pushing stars whose artistry walks the path Missy paved. Some have shared studio magic with her; others simply drank deep from the well of her fearless creativity. Either way, the Supa Dupa spirit lives on.

1. Lizzo – “Tempo” (feat. Missy Elliott)

When Lizzo needed a co‑pilot for her twerk anthem, she dialed the original body‑positive hype woman. Missy slides in on “Tempo” with a flex only two queens could pull off, reminding us the party isn’t lit until all bodies feel seen.

2. Doja Cat – Channeling “Work It” & “The Rain”

Doja’s rubber‑band genre shifts and meme‑ready visuals? Straight from Missy’s playbook. From cow-print TikTok virality to space‑age glam, Doja keeps the weird, the witty, and the wild turned all the way up, just like Auntie Missy taught her.

3. Tierra Whack – Whack World (spirit sister to “Lose Control”)

Fifteen one‑minute songs, each with its own bold mini‑movie? Only a Missy disciple would dare. Tierra Whack shrinks the song format but supersizes imagination, carrying Missy’s mantra: rules are recipes—feel free to remix.

4. Tyler, the Creator – Echoes of “Get Ur Freak On”

Missy kicked the door open for the misfits; Tyler built a whole mansion inside. His candy‑coated keys, left‑field drums and comic‑book personas prove weirdness is wealth when you own it.

5. Janelle Monáe – “Electric Lady (Remix)”

Monáe’s afro‑futuristic suites feel like long‑lost cousins to Missy’s UFO‑landing vibes. Their “Electric Lady” remix glitters with funk, android dreams, and big‑sister encouragement.

6. Rico Nasty – Visual nods to “Pass That Dutch”

Rico’s mosh‑pit energy and cartoonish color palettes scream Missy at max volume. When she snarls over distorted guitars, you can almost hear Missy cheering, “Yes, sis—break all the boxes.”

7. Nicki Minaj – Unreleased “Wanna Bang” sessions & Barbie theatrics

The Roman alter‑egos, the rapid‑fire voices, the candy‑colored wigs? Mama Nicki grew up on Missy’s multi‑lane highway. Their in‑studio chemistry (leaked on “Wanna Bang”) is rap’s multiverse in motion.

8. Megan Thee Stallion – Confidence cut from “One Minute Man” cloth

Meg’s knees might be unmatched, but the blueprint for unapologetic sex appeal began with Missy gliding through “One Minute Man.” Thee Hot Girl Commander credits Missy as a forever muse—and a promised future collab keeps fans on edge.

9. FKA twigs – Avant‑garde echoes of “Beep Me 911”

Twigs floats in a dreamscape of glitchy beats and balletic visuals. Missy showed long ago that sensuality could be futuristic, strange, and sacred all at once—twigs simply turned that lesson into performance art.

10. Azealia Banks – Fast‑tongue lineage of “Lose Control”

Love her or loathe her, Banks’ house‑infected rap and quicksilver cadences owe a nod to Missy’s club‑ready experimentation. Both women treat genres like Lego bricks—meant to be snapped together in surprising ways.