6 Degrees Of Separation: Missy Elliot
Missy Elliot has to be one of the most connected people in the industry, but what’s even cooler about her own music, is the collaborators she’s worked with, past and present.
Missy is pretty much connected with almost everyone when it comes to Six Degrees of Separation (heck, actually, any degree of separation), including P. Diddy, Akon, and Tupac Shakur. See below how we make these jumps based on some of her greatest collaborations.
Ludacris –> Akon (3 Degrees Of Separation)
Ludacris has collaborated with Missy on many tracks including “One Minute Man” and “Gossip Folks.” From Luda, you jump off to Nate Dogg. The song “Area Codes” from Rush Hour 2 that Ludacris and Nate Dogg did connects to Eminem. Nate Dogg did the song “Shake That” with Eminem, and then, in turn, Eminem did a song with Akon called “Smack That.”
Timbaland –> Tupac Shakur (3 Degrees, and some other random connections too!)
Timbaland, who’s one of Missy Elliot’s biggest collaborators in terms of them working together multiple times, has worked with many other people from Chris Cornell, to Katy Perry, to Nelly Furtado. But what I’m focusing on is “One and Only” from Fall Out Boy, and “2 Man Show” by Elton John. Both came off of the album shock value, which I want to say somehow fostered a connection between Fall Out Boy and Elton John. But where does Tupac come in? There is a track called “Ghetto Gospel” which features Elton John on Tupac’s track. BOOM.
Lil’ Kim –> P.Diddy/Puff Daddy (2 Degrees Of Separation)
Lil Kim’s relationship with Junior M.A.F.I.A. lead to her connection with Notorious B.I.G., which connected Kim with P.Diddy, then called Puff Daddy.
Pharrell Williams –> Beyonce ( 5 Degrees Of Separation)
Pharrell Williams has collaborated with so many people it makes my head spin. But while sifting through all of his random connections, we came to this pathway. Pharrell produced many of Gwen Stefani‘s tracks, whom he later connected with again on The Voice. That connection linked him to Adam Levine. Adam is a 2 pronged jump off point, to where you can reach Rihanna through a Maroon 5 remix, but you can also take another route to Rihanna through Shakira. Rihanna did a song and music video with Shakira in 2014, but Shakira did a song called “Beautiful Liar” which leads us to Beyonce.
What would you say are some of Missy Elliot’s greatest connections? Is there one we forgot that you love? Let us know in the comments!
Amy Cooper is the type of journalist that when asked “What do you bring to the table,” she replies “I am the table.
