Rap legend Missy Elliott is ESSENCE magazine’s latest cover star! In the feature story, the 51-year-old Virginia native is opening up about navigating her musical career journey and how she’s dealt with mental health issues.
“Now I’m fine with being like, ‘Hey, I got anxiety’ or ‘I went through depression,’” the Work It star said. “Even the biggest artist, or just the regular everyday working person, we all go through shit. We all do. And it’s okay to say, ‘Hey, I’m not okay today.’ Probably we would keep a lot of people around if we were that open because we would be able to uplift each other.”
She further admitted that it’s okay to have bad day, and that overthinking is an issue that plagues many.
“We’d know that I’m not going to look at you crazy if you say, ‘Hey, I’m having a rough day.’ Maybe you’re thinking things that you shouldn’t think, or whatever the case may be.”
The Grammy Award winner further detailed how her strong bond with others has helped her through trying times.
“I had a peer of mine say, ‘Hey, look, I’ve been through the same thing.’ And he was just like, ‘Next time I see you, I’m going to put a mirror in front of your face, so you can remember who you are and all that you’ve done.’”
It was in 2019 when Elliott first opened up about the hardships she’s faced with mental health. In an interview with Billboard, she explained how anxiety was an issue she suffered from since childhood.
“I was always feisty, always that kid that would be on the porch with a hairbrush singing or rapping,” she said. “I got more shy as I got older and realized people could be laughing at me, or judging me.”
But all in all, things have turned out in her favor. Earlier this year, the mega producer made history when she became the first female rap artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
