Missy Elliott earned another Icon Award, and the woman chosen to present it is someone she once mistook for a prank caller: Janet Jackson.
Missy was named this year’s Icon Award recipient at the Gala of the Stars. Jackson, who received the same award last year, will present it to Missy at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills on October 22.
The event raises money for Dancers Against Cancer, which helps dancers, choreographers and their families with the financial strain of cancer. The recognition puts Missy’s impact on dance alongside the music and videos that made her a Hip-Hop star.
“Missy Elliott represents everything the Icon Award celebrates. Her groundbreaking artistry has inspired generations of performers, and having Janet Jackson, last year’s honoree, present her with this award makes the moment even more special,” Noah Lands, the charity’s CEO and the gala’s executive producer, said in a statement.
The pairing has a personal history beyond awards shows. After Supa Dupa Fly arrived in 1997, Jackson was among the stars who reached out to Missy. The rapper later recalled that she didn’t believe the quiet voice on the phone was Jackson and hung up, thinking a friend was playing a joke.
Her manager then warned her that Jackson would be calling. “Oh my God, why didn’t you tell me? I just hung up on her!” Missy recalled in a 2022 Grammy.com interview.
That disbelief grew into a friendship that lasted well beyond their collaborations. In June 2022, Missy described how Jackson flew from London to spend two days with her after they talked about how much she missed seeing friends during the pandemic. They spent the visit laughing together, a break Missy said she had needed.
Dance has also remained central to how Missy brought her records to the stage. At the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, she rebuilt several of her best-known video worlds for a medley. Alyson Stoner returned for “Work It,” reconnecting the performance with the dancer fans remembered from the original video. Jackson was among the artists who contributed tributes that night.
This year’s gala will also recognize Toni Basil with its Lifetime Achievement Award and Vincent Paterson with its Vanguard Award. Maksim Chmerkovskiy will host, with Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies among the performers.
The charity said last year’s gala raised $717,218. Its next fundraiser, with Jackson presenting Missy’s honor, takes place on October 22.
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