Missy Elliott Opens Up About Graves’ Disease Battle Ahead of First-Ever Headlining Tour

Missy Elliott is gearing up for her first-ever headlining tour, but it hasn’t been an easy journey for the pioneering rapper. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, she opened up about her battle with Graves’ Disease, an auto-immune disorder that caused her to take a 20-year break from touring.

During this time, Missy Elliott faced severe weight loss and depression, but thanks to her medication, she is now feeling much better and ready to hit the road again. Her Out Of This World Tour will kick off next month with support from Busta Rhymes, Timbaland, and Ciara, taking them across North America for a 24-city concert series.

The tour trailer, directed by Grammy-winning director Dave Meyers, shows Missy, Busta, and Ciara dressed in extraterrestrial outfits as they embark on a space-themed adventure. Despite landing on the wrong planet, the trio quickly reroute their voyage back to Earth for an unforgettable experience.

Missy Elliott expressed her excitement for this milestone tour, stating, “Fans have been asking me to tour forever but I wanted to wait until I felt the time was right because I knew if I was ever going to do it, I had to do it big, and I had to do it with family!” With her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and now her first headline tour, Missy Elliott is ready to take her fans on an out-of-this-world journey they won’t forget.