It’s hard to believe that in 2024, legendary Hip Hop artist and Portsmouth native Missy Elliott is headlining her first tour, one that follows a 30 year career that has seen her create iconic hits soundtracking the lives of a generation, collaborate with the biggest names in music, and innovate pop music, the industry and the landscape for female rappers following her.
But here we are, with the Rapper, Singer, Songwriter and Producer adding another milestone to her career with the “Out of This World – The Experience” tour, a nearly four hour futuristic journey of Hip Hop and R&B club bangers that continues to shake the roof for generations young and old. Embarking across North America and Canada throughout this summer, Elliott stopped by her home state to rock 757’s Hampton Coliseum on Friday, Aug. 2, which was a packed house.
Elliott brought notable music icons along for the ride as famed Producer and Norfolk native Timbaland, a longtime music collaborator of Elliott’s, kicked off the show. Performing hit productions such as “The Way I Are,” “Give It To Me,” “Promiscuous,” and “Pony,” Timbaland showcased just how much he helped define the landscape of Pop, Hip Hop and R&B in his longtime career. His set list also included iconic songs from his work with late R&B singer Aaliyah: “Are U That Somebody?” “Try Again,” and “One in A Million.” From crowd sing-a-longs and even T-shirts depicting the beloved singer, the pain left from her 2001 passing is still deeply felt over 20 years later. Timbaland also gave fans a teaser of a dramatic unreleased track, showing that his creative mind continues to look for new ways to innovate.