As one of Hip-Hop’s most prolific talents, Missy Elliott is renown for securing a number of firsts. But the latest may well be the most notable.

For, the star has been announced as the first female rapper to be nominated for entry into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame.

And she’s not alone. Because, Mariah Carey has also been named on the list of contenders for the 2019 class.

Details below…

In a statement made to press, organizers confirmed that the following join the duo on the ballot:

Additional Performing Nominees: Chrissie Hynde, Vince Gill, the Beach Boys’ Mike Love, Jimmy Cliff, Jeff Lynne, Cat Stevens, John Prine, Lloyd Price, Tommy James and the Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart). Non-Performing Nominees: Dallas Austin, Jack Tempchin, Dean Dillon, Jerry Fuller, Tom T. Hall, Roger Nichols. Non-Performing Songwriting Duos: P.F. Sloan & Steve Barri, Russell Brown and Irwin Levine, musical theater writers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Bobby Hart and Tommy Boyce.

Eligible members are able to vote until the ballot closes on December 17th. Each member can male three performing and three non-performing picks.

All leads to the Hall’s 50th annual ceremony in New York City on June 13th 2019, during which six songwriters or songwriting groups will be officially inducted. [Source]

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Should she enter, Missy – whose success as an artist and writer for other acts is well-documented – will be the third rapper ever to be inducted. Priors from the genre are Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri – in the 2017 and 2018 classes respectively. In 2011, Canadian superstar Drake received Hal David Starlight Award, which honors new talent.

As for Mimi, she has 18 #1 singles to her name, many of which she wrote – including ‘Hero’ and ‘We Belong Together.’

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