Missy Elliott's "The Rain" Makes History as First Rap Song Beamed Into Space
![Missy Elliott's "The Rain" Makes History as First Rap Song Beamed Into Space](/content/images/size/w1200/2024/07/e1392dcb-1a02-4563-ae7f-a3eb7d447e66.png)
NASA has transmitted Missy Elliott's 1997 hit "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" to Venus, marking the first time a hip-hop song has been beamed into deep space. The song was sent from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California using the Deep Space Network's powerful radio antennas. The transmission traveled 158 million miles and took approximately 14 minutes to reach Venus at the speed of light.
This initiative was proposed by Brittany Brown, the Digital and Technology Division Director at NASA's Office of Communications, and represents a collaboration between NASA and Missy Elliott's team. Elliott, who is currently on a headlining tour across North America, expressed her excitement about the achievement. This event follows the 2008 transmission of the Beatles' "Across the Universe," making Elliott the second artist to have a song beamed into deep space.