Virginia native and Grammy Award-winning rapper and singer Missy Elliott has made a generous donation of $50,000 to the Portsmouth Virginia Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
The donation is aimed at helping 26 families who are in a housing crisis and on the verge of being evicted. The funds will be used to assist these families in paying their overdue rent.
She gave out the money on Oct. 17 during a brief ceremony held at the Dr. O. Marriner Family Life Center at Grove Church, the city’s oldest African American Baptist Church.
Alisa Winston, the director of the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority, stated that the money will be distributed to these families promptly to alleviate their housing concerns.
Last year, Missy Elliott, who is 52 years old, was honored in her hometown of Portsmouth, where a street and a day were named after her.
During the ceremony, she expressed her desire to give back to her city on a significant day. Missy Elliott emphasized that the celebration should not be about her but should symbolize her love for her community.
She stated: “Just know that P-Town is with me no matter where I go.”
Missy Elliott credited her mother with instilling in her a “giving heart” and a deep love for her city, despite her international success.
She mentioned, “I love my city. I love my state. I love everything about it.” Additionally, she highlighted the hospitality, humility, and confidence that she learned from her hometown, stating, “If you mess with me, it’s a problem. We’re sweet, but don’t try us.”
Patricia Elliott, Missy’s mother, also shared her perspective on giving and humility during the ceremony.
She emphasized that giving should be rooted in the memory of times when one didn’t have much, and she encouraged everyone to give back when they reach the top, envisioning a more beautiful world if this were the case.
ShineMyCrown reported back in 2021 that the rap icon has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Missy’s moment was memorialized by her close friends Mona Scott-Young, Lizzo and Ciara, who all spoke about the impact the “Throw It Back” singer has had on the industry and on them personally.
Scott-Young, who has managed Missy for over two decades, praised her long-time client and friend. She called Missy “the most humble, the sweetest, the most loving, the most giving, the most caring person” that she knows.
