Missy Elliott is in the midst of a career renaissance. The iconic rapper was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, and will embark on her first headlining tour in July. The former validated her talents as a musician, and the latter her star power. Unfortunately, health concerns have plagued the rapper over the last 15 years. Missy Elliott was diagnosed with Graves' Disease in 2008, which led to severe weight loss and dizzy spells. She's not going to let her diagnosis slow her down, however.
The rapper told People Magazine that she plans to carry out her tour dates without the assistance of medication. She told the outlet that the first three years after her diagnosis were extremely difficult, but she's learned to overcome it without having to rely on external treatment. "Every day I wake, I’m blessed to be here and in good health," she conceded. "I’m feeling so much better now. That was a run. Every now and then you get a little ache in the leg or the knee, but outside of that, I feel good." Missy Elliott divulged the secrets for her medication-less treatment, and they were simpler than one might think.
Missy Elliott Was Diagnosed Back In 2008
According to the rapper, a healthy lifestyle changed everything. "Under my doctor s supervision, I've been off medication," she noted. "I'm completely managing the condition thru diet and exercise." It's comforting to know that Missy Elliott will be able to fulfill her tour, given how excited she was to do it back in April. "Fans have been asking me to tour forever," she wrote in a press release. "But I wanted to wait until I felt the time was right. "Because I knew if I was ever going to do it, I had to do it big. And I had to do it with family." The "family" in question consists of longtime Missy collaborators Ciara, Busta Rhymes, and Timbaland.
Missy Elliott is not letting Graves' Disease slow her performing. She's also continuing to make music at an impressive rate. She hasn't put out an album since The Cookbook in 2005, but she told Variety that she's sitting on six albums worth of material. "I probably have at least six albums worth of music at this point," the rapper revealed. "I believe that it’ll be a day that everybody’s going on about their way and then you just look online and see an album date from me. So yeah, I think that’ll happen sooner than later." It doesn't sound like the Missy renaissance is ending anytime soon.
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