Missy Elliott Reveals She was Rushed to the Emergency Room Ahead of 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Reading Time: 3 minutes
Missy Elliott may show off her swag on stage, but her nerves can also kick in during unlucky moments. Reflecting on the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX halftime show, the female rap legend revealed that she suffered from an anxiety attack right before her performance with Katy Perry.
Missy Elliott Went to The ER Due to an Anxiety Attack Before Performing with Katy Perry at 2015 Super Bowl
In her recent interview with Robin Roberts for Good Morning America, Elliott recalled her experience dealing with anxiety. The rapper particularly recalled feeling overwhelmed ahead of her Super Bowl number with the “Firework” singer.
“I didn’t know how huge, how many people watched the Super Bowl. When I did it, I ended up in the emergency room,” she said. “My anxiety kicked in. Because it was a secret and then, the day before, people started whispering, ‘I think Missy is coming out [during] Katy Perry’s set.’ I started freaking out.”
She went on and stated that during the “wee hours of the morning before the Super Bowl,” she was in the emergency room. Now, she’s grateful that more people are getting braver in opening up about their mental health.
“It feels good to be in a time now where you can talk about it,” she said. “Because you realize there’s a lot of people that suffer from anxiety.”
@katyperrytv -@Missy Elliott is legend-🎙#SuperBowl #tiktok #fypシ ♬ sonido original – Katy Perry TV
Amusingly, Elliott became the breakout star of that year’s halftime show. After that, Billboard estimated that sales of the rapper’s catalog increased 1,000 percent in one day. “Get Ur Freak On” and “Lose Control” even made it into the iTunes Top 10. Indeed, instances like that even more prove that Elliott is a distinct breed of legend.
She’s the First Female Rapper Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
On November 3, Elliott will officially be the first female rap artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Of always wanting to be a superstar, Elliott stated that she’s “never wavered” and “never changed.”
According to the rapper, “words cannot describe” how honored she is to take the stage alongside fellow 2023 inductees. For the event, she will be gracing the stage with Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners.
As an artist from the hip-hop world, Elliot believed that Rock Hall is “so far out of reach.” Now that it’s right in her doorstep, the accolade is still unfathomable.
Elliot’s induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame coincides with the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop. For the rapper, her award is proof that “no matter what people say the hip-hop world is something special and unique.” Elliott will be inducted by her friend of 20 years, Queen Latifah.
“She’s somebody that, like I said, ‘come before me, open that door, left it open,'” she said. “And I owe so many flowers, bouquets. It’s not enough bouquets for those women that came before me. And she’s one of those women.”
Elliott’s mother will also be in the house at the 38th annual induction ceremony on Friday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
