First Hip-Hop Song In Deep Space As NASA Sends Missy Elliott Tune To Venus

Venus has got a little more rhythm across its clouds thanks to NASA and Missy Elliott. The space agency and the artist collaborated to send an inspirational message and the lyrics to one of her songs to the planet Venus.

The song chosen was The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly). It has become the first hip-hop song to be transmitted across NASA’s Deep Space Network, the second overall after the DSN was used to transmit the Beatles’ song Across The Universe in 2008.

“I still can’t believe I’m going out of this world with NASA through the Deep Space Network when ‘The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)’ becomes the first ever hip-hop song to transmit to space!” said Elliott in a statement. “I chose Venus because it symbolizes strength, beauty, and empowerment and I am so humbled to have the opportunity to share my art and my message with the universe!”

The transmission was sent by the Deep Space Station 13 at the DSN’s Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex. That antenna, coincidentally, is nicknamed Venus. The message was sent at the speed of light, and it took 14 minutes to cross the 254 million kilometers (158 million miles) between Earth and where Venus currently is.

“Both space exploration and Missy Elliott’s art have been about pushing boundaries,” said Brittany Brown, director of the Digital and Technology Division, Office of Communications, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, who initially pitched ideas to Missy’s team to collaborate with the agency. “Missy has a track record of infusing space-centric storytelling and futuristic visuals in her music videos so the opportunity to collaborate on something out of this world is truly fitting.”

Venus is Missy Elliott’s favorite planet, and this is why it was chosen. The message was not sent with any specific intentions. There is no radio-capable life on Venus – but if it were, they’d be damn lucky to be getting songs from Earth!