Icon Missy Elliott has been named the recipient of the Inaugural Innovator prize at the upcoming 2015 Billboard Women in Music awards ceremony.

The event is due to take place on December 11 in New York. 

Janice Min, co-president and chief creative officer of Guggenheim Media’s Entertainment Group, explained that she deserves the recognition for her incredible creative vision:

“Missy Elliott is a once-in-a-generation artist and producer whose artistic brilliance and creative vision have transformed pop and hip hop music. It’s such a thrill to make this announcement while Missy is on our current Billboard cover after a decade-long hiatus. There are few artists more respected by her peers and more creative. We are proud to honour her with the inaugural Women in Music Innovator award.” 

During a new interview with Billboard, Elliott revealed that she is a little more self-conscious than people would expect: “I was always feisty, always that kid that would be on the porch with a hairbrush singing or rapping. I got more shy as I got older and realised people could be laughing at me, or judging me.”

Follow us: @Pressparty on Twitter / Pressparty on Facebook.