Missy Elliott's 'The Rain' Makes Cosmic Debut Thanks To NASA

Missy Elliott’s music is officially out of this world. NASA, aka the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, reported on July 12 that it transmitted her 1997 smash hit “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” into space, making it the first hip-hop song to be interstellar.

NASA’s DSN (aka Deep Space Network) conducted the launch around 10 a.m. from Southern California. Mind-blowingly, the track was sent an astonishing 158 million miles to Venus, the rapper’s “favorite” planet.

“The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” is the second song DSN has transmitted in the same manner. Euronews reports that the first time, in 2008, they beamed the Beatles’ “Across the Universe.”

The transmission of Missy’s track occurred at the speed of light and took almost 14 minutes to get to Venus. “As the largest and most sensitive telecommunication service of NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program, DSN has an array of giant radio antennas that allow missions to track, send commands, and receive scientific data from spacecraft venturing to the Moon and beyond,” reported the independent U.S. governmental agency.

The person who thought to honor the MC in an intergalactic way is Brittany Brown, Director of the Digital and Technology Division in the Office of Communications at NASA’s Washington D.C. headquarters.

“Both space exploration and Missy Elliott’s art have been about pushing boundaries,” noted Brown. “Missy has a track record of infusing space-centric storytelling and futuristic visuals in her music videos so the opportunity to collaborate on something out of this world is truly fitting.”

How Did Missy Elliott React?

“I still can’t believe I’m going out of this world with NASA through the Deep Space Network when “The Rain” (Supa Dupa Fly) becomes the first ever hip-hop song to transmit to space!,” Elliott said ahead of the launch. “I chose Venus because it symbolizes strength, beauty, and empowerment and I am so humbled to have the opportunity to share my art and my message with the universe!”

“Along with my song ‘The Rain’ supaflying to Venus yesterday with @NASA, another HISTORICAL event that I’m humbly GRATEFUL for is 27 years ago, my album [Supa Dupa Fly] dropped. If you don’t have that album, go cop it! It’s so FUTURISTIC,” the 53-year-old icon added on X on July 16.

The distinction comes as Missy continues her Out Of This World — The Missy Elliott Experience tour. It’s her first headlining tour in her nearly 30-year career. She’s accompanied by her friends and longtime collaborators, Ciara, Timbaland, and Busta Rhymes.