by Stacy Jackson
July 16, 2024
NASA's decision to broadcast Elliott's The Rain into space is based on its “space-centric storytelling” and futuristic imagery.
NASA made history by transmitting the first hip-hop song into space via its Deep Space Network. The selected song, “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” by Missy Elliott, embarked on an extraordinary journey to Venus on July 12.
The iconic 1997 song traveled an incredible 158 million miles from Earth, according to Billboard, and took approximately 14 minutes to reach its celestial destination. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California facilitated this groundbreaking transmission, marking a significant milestone at the intersection of music and space exploration.
“YOOO this is crazy!” Elliott wrote on X. “My song 'The Rain' has officially been broadcast to Venus.”
YOOO this is crazy! We just went #OutOfThisWorld with @NASA and sent the FIRST hip hop song into space via the Deep Space Network. My song “The Rain” has officially been transmitted to Venus, the planet that symbolizes strength, beauty and empowerment. Heaven is… pic.twitter.com/g6HofNQSt1
— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) July 15, 2024
This Deep Space broadcast of “The Rain” coincides with Elliott’s aptly named “Out Of This World” tour, which BLACK COMPANY As previously reported, this is their very first North American tour.
NASA's decision to send this song into space followed their broadcast of the Beatles' “Across the Universe” in 2008.
Brittany Brown, NASA's director of digital and technology, emphasized the synergy between space exploration and Elliott's artistic work, noting, “Both space exploration and Missy Elliott's art are about pushing boundaries. Missy has already incorporated space-centric storytelling and futuristic imagery in her music videos, so the opportunity to collaborate on something extraordinary is truly fitting.”
“The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” produced by Timbaland, was a pivotal song in Elliott's career, helping her become a major force in hip-hop and R&B. The album the song appeared on, Supa Dupa Fly, made history by debuting at number three on the Billboard 200.
Elliott's current “Out Of This World” tour includes artists Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Timbaland. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight about the tour, the rapper emphasized her desire to create an immersive experience. “I wanted to make sure I wasn't just doing a concert… I wanted to give them the visuals and make them feel like they were part of these videos,” she said. “Truly out of this world. That's what I want to give them.”
Watch the music video for “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” below.
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