In a stellar moment for music and space exploration, NASA has transmitted Missy Elliott’s iconic 1997 hit “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to Venus, marking the first time a hip-hop song has been beamed into deep space.
The historic transmission took place on Friday, July 12, from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Using the agency’s Deep Space Network, the song traveled an astronomical 158 million miles from Earth to Venus at the speed of light, taking approximately 14 minutes to reach its destination.
Elliott, clearly over the moon with this otherworldly honor, shared her excitement on social media: “YOOO this is crazy! We just went #OutOfThisWorld with NASA and sent the FIRST hip hop song into space through the Deep Space Network. My song ‘The Rain’ has officially been transmitted all the way to Venus, the planet that symbolizes strength, beauty, and empowerment. The sky is not the limit, it’s just the beginning 👽👽”
This cosmic milestone follows the Beatles’ “Across the Universe,” which became the first song NASA beamed into deep space in 2008.
Brittany Brown, Digital and Technology Division Director at NASA’s Office of Communications, who pitched the idea to Elliott’s team, noted the synergy between space exploration and the artist’s work: “Both space exploration and Missy Elliott’s art have been about pushing boundaries. 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.”
Produced by Timbaland, Missy Elliott’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” from her debut album Supa Dupa Fly marked her emergence as a major player in hip-hop and R&B.
It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 129,000 copies sold in the first week released, becoming the highest debut for a female rapper at the time, and topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The track’s innovative production by Timbaland and its unique music video directed by Hype Williams left a lasting impact on the music industry, establishing Elliott as a creative force and setting the stage for her successful career.