PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Grammy Award-winning rapper Missy Elliott made a visit to her hometown Tuesday.
In honor of "Missy Elliott Day," the superstar went to Portsmouth for a private presentation, where she donated $50,000 to the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
"Instead of it being a celebration of Missy Elliott and it be about me, I wanted to give back and that be the celebration of Missy Elliott Day," she said during the event.
Her visit comes a year after Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin recognized October 17 as "Missy Elliott Day" in Virginia in 2022.
On the same day, the City of Portsmouth hosted a ceremony after renaming a portion of McLean Street to "Missy Elliott Blvd." Elliott returned home to the high school she graduated from in 1990, and the City of Portsmouth presented her with an honorary key to the city.
She paid another recent visit to Hampton Roads in December of 2022.
That's when Elliott gave the keynote speech at Norfolk State University's winter graduation. There, she also received an honorary doctorate and donated $20,000 to the university.
Tuesday's event is at the Melvin O. Marriner Family Life Center, but again, it's not open to the public. It's invite only.