{"id":683907,"date":"2024-07-24T10:45:41","date_gmt":"2024-07-24T14:45:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mymodernmet.com\/?p=683907"},"modified":"2024-07-23T16:56:25","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T20:56:25","slug":"nasa-missy-elliott-the-rain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mymodernmet.com\/nasa-missy-elliott-the-rain\/","title":{"rendered":"From Earth to Venus: NASA Sends Missy Elliott’s Hit Song ‘The Rain’ Into Space"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Missy

Photo: Atlantic Records via Wikimedia Commons<\/a> (CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n

On July 12, “The Rain (Super Dupa Fly)<\/a>” by Missy Elliott became the second song to be transmitted into space, following The Beatles' “Across the Universe” transmission in 2008. With the help of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the hip-hop track was beamed across 158 million miles to Elliott's favorite planet, Venus, in 14 minutes.<\/p>\n

Brittany Brown, the director of digital and technological communication, originally pitched the idea to Elliott's team. In NASA's announcement<\/a>, she explains that the collaboration was inspired by Missy Elliott's frequent use of space imagery. Elliott's music videos often feature futuristic themes with a cyberpunk-like aesthetic. This style also extends to her latest tour, “Out Of This World,” which has a surrealist spacecraft-inspired atmosphere. She often wears metallic fabrics and bold colors while performing, reflecting a combination of retro and new-world styles.<\/p>\n

“The Rain” was transmitted at the speed of light through the Deep Space Network<\/a> (DSN), giant radio antennas used for missions around Earth and with other planets. From a radio dish near Barstow, California, the DSN used large antennas typically employed to track spacecrafts, send commands, and receive data. Additionally, the DSN is capable of communicating with spacecrafts that range in distance from a few thousand kilometers away to beyond the solar system. This advanced technology made it possible to send Missy Elliott's song to Venus precisely and quickly.<\/p>\n

The broadcasted song, which contains a sample of Ann Peebles' 1973 single “I Can't Stand the Rain<\/a>,” was written and composed by Don Bryant, Bernard Miller, Missy Elliott, and producer Timbaland for her debut album Supa Dupa Fly<\/em> in 1997. Elliott received two Grammy Award nominations for the album: Best Rap Album and Best Rap Solo Performance for “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).”<\/p>\n

NASA's choice of Missy Elliott—who recently became the first female hip-hop artist in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame<\/a>—may have been influenced by more than just her futuristic branding. The artist has produced revolutionary songs addressing topics such as feminism, gender equality, and sex and body positivity, making her a pioneer for a new generation of female artists.<\/p>\n

While it's unclear why NASA has chosen to transmit a song after over a decade, since the transmission of the Beatles “Across the Universe” to North Star, Polaris, the decision to send Elliott's hit song into space reflects the organization's commitment to blend culture and science. Elliott's innovative and creative work as an artist aligns with NASA's goal of bringing artistic expression into space exploration.\n<\/p>\n

On July 12, NASA transmitted Missy Elliott’s hit song “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to Venus, making it the second song to ever be sent into space.<\/h2>\n
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Supa-flying to Venus!<\/p>\n

For the first time, a hip-hop song was transmitted #OutOfThisWorld<\/a>. @MissyElliott<\/a>‘s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” traveled 158 million miles to Venus through NASA's Deep Space Network from @NASAJPL<\/a>‘s Deep Space Station 13 in California: https:\/\/t.co\/Gg5ibm80hb<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/BwsdTNNqCv<\/a><\/p>\n

— NASA (@NASA) July 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n