Missy Elliott Shares Emotional Response to ESSENCE Festival’s Star-Studded Tribute to Aaliyah

Missy Elliott is showing nothing but love for the women who helped shine a spotlight on Aaliyah’s legacy at Essence Festival over Independence Day weekend.

Full story below.

Following the special Aaliyah tribute at the ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans, the legendary femcee took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to applaud the performers and creative team behind the production.

Curated by Missy herself, the tribute featured Normani, Chlöe Bailey , Ryan Destiny , Mya , and Sevyn Streeter performing beloved Aaliyah classics including ‘Rock the Boat’, ‘One in a Million’, ‘More Than a Woman’, ‘We Need a Resolution’, and ‘4 Page Letter.’

The performance received great reviews from festival attendees, though some viewers questioned the use of AI-generated visuals during the opening. M

issy addressed the criticism in her message, explaining that the team had hoped to use Aaliyah’s original music video footage but did not own the rights to that content.

On X, Missy wrote:

“I’m PROUD of these women: Normani, Ryan Destiny, Mya, Chloe Bailey, & Sevyn. With less than a week of rehearsal, they were committed & focused on this Aaliyah tribute… We wanted to use the original content from the original videos, but we do not own it, unfortunately… Aaliyah, you are FOREVER LOVED! It’s only 1 of YOU.”

I’m PROUD of these women: Normani, RyanDestiny, Mya, ChloeBailey, & Seyvn. With less than a week of rehearsal, they were committed & Focused on this Aaliyah tribute. #Fatima, who was behind all the original moves, worked with each of the girls tirelessly. The original band… pic.twitter.com/Ge7sAiYjhd

— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) July 7, 2026

Missy’s words carried special significance given her close bond with Aaliyah.

Beyond being one of her most influential collaborators, Missy was one of Aaliyah’s closest friends, helping shape some of the singer’s most iconic records alongside Timbaland.

Her message made it clear that the tribute wasn’t simply a performance; it was a reflection of love, created to honor Aaliyah’s lasting impact on music.