Missy Elliott is giving out flowers, praising the woman who helped launch her career, Epic Records chairperson and CEO Sylvia Rhone.
The trailblazing New Yorker is widely regarded as one of the most influential executives in music industry history. Rhone made history in 1994 when she was named chairman and CEO of Elektra Entertainment Group. At the time, the promotion made her the only African American and first-ever woman to hold the titles.
After Missy Elliott signed to Elektra, she expressed her desire to own her own label over being a recording artist. Sylvia Rhone told her, “We’ll give a label if you give us an album.” The Virginia native would create Supa Dupa Fly within weeks, and as promised, she got her label.
In 1997 Missy Elliott founded The Goldmind Inc. which went on to house acts like R&B superstar Tweet.
On Tuesday (Mar. 21), Missy shared a throwback video posted by a fan page featuring Sylvia Rhone presenting a young Missy Elliot with a plaque.
“I will forever be Grateful for you believing in me & allowing me to color outside the lines & be uniquely me🙏🏾💜 You are the blueprint🙌🏾,’ she tweeted before recalling, “Wow & this was 26 years ago.😵🙌🏾🔥”
.@IamSylviaRhone I will forever be Grateful for you believing in me & allowing me to color outside the lines & be uniquely me🙏🏾💜 You are the blueprint🙌🏾 Wow & this was 26 years ago😵🙌🏾🔥 https://t.co/O2fxRYfW9W
— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) March 21, 2023
Last month, both pioneering women received the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective Global Impact Award.
Missy Elliott moved members of the audience to tears as she paid homage to Sylvia Rhone during her acceptance speech.
“She saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” the four-time Grammy winner explained. “She never told us ‘no,’” continued Elliott before adding Rhone “never” told her to lose weight or to change her records.