Missy Elliott has recalled her music comeback after being diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 2008.
The rapper took a break from the music industry after being diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder and made her comeback seven years later as a special guest during Katy Perry’s 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
“Coming off of being sick and having a hiatus, that was like a ‘wow’ moment for me,” the 52-year-old told the New York Post about performing on the iconic stage after her years-long break.
She added, “It was almost like God was saying, ‘I’m gonna show you what I could do for you in three minutes.’”
Missy previously shared that she was diagnosed with the disease after losing a considerable amount of weight.
“It causes hair loss, your eyes bulge,” she had previously explained. “My blood pressure was always up from just overworking.”
In the new interview, Missy Elliott also recalled receiving support from music legend Mary J. Blige early in her career.
“I remember Mary coming up to me, and she was like, ‘You’re a superstar,’” Missy told the publication. “And at the time, I didn’t pay it no mind because I really didn’t think that at all. But she kept telling me that, and me and her became really close.”
Missy and Mary have collaborated on multiple hits, including 2001’s “”Never Been” and 2005’s “My Struggles.”
“She was the first one,” Missy said of her collaborator and friend. “Back then, you didn’t even want to play with Mary! And I personally didn’t think that I fit the mold because, you know, there was a certain look back then.”
