NASA sent Missy Elliott’s song “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) [ see YouTube Video ]” to Venus on Friday, July 12, 2024. The transmission was made by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California at 10:05 a.m. PDT using the Deep Space Network’s (DSN) 34-meter-wide Deep Space Station 13 (DSS-13) radio dish antenna located at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California.
NASA recently made headlines by beaming Missy Elliott’s song to Venus, marking a historic first for hip-hop music in space. This transmission, which traveled approximately 158 million miles at the speed of light, took about 14 minutes to reach the planet, known for its extreme conditions yet cherished by Elliott as a symbol of strength and beauty. The collaboration was part of Elliott’s “Out of This World” tour, and it highlights both her artistic vision and NASA’s ongoing exploration efforts. This event follows a previous transmission of The Beatles’ “Across the Universe” in 2008, making Elliott’s song the second ever sent into deep space[1][2][3][4].
Lyric Translation to Non-Hip Hop English
If you are curious as to what we just told the Venusians, here is the translation of the lyrics:
Chorus: Missy Elliott is expressing her confidence and unique style. The line about not being able to stand the rain is a metaphor for dealing with emotional pain and memories.
Verse 1: When it rains and hits her window, Missy finds a moment to relax and reflect. She mentions her close working relationship with Timbaland, a famous producer, indicating their strong creative partnership. The line about moving together like a dance suggests their seamless collaboration. “Can we get kinky tonight?” is a playful reference to having fun of some kind. After revealing this part of her life, Missy asserts that she’s dangerous to mess with and prefers to keep her personal life private. Chorus: Reiterates the metaphor about the rain and emotional pain.
Verse 2: “Beep beep, who got the keys to the Jeep? Vroom!” is a fun way of saying she’s driving a Jeep and enjoying the ride. Drug Reference: “Jeep” is also a slang term for cocaine, as stated in the DEA guide[6]. She’s heading to the beach with the top down, playing loud music, and planning to meet friends. The line “Don’t you know, ’cause I’m supa dupa fly” emphasizes her confidence and unique style. Chorus: Reiterates the metaphor about the rain and emotional pain.
Verse 3: She feels the wind while driving, enjoying the freedom. “I sit on hills like Lauryn” refers to Lauryn Hill, suggesting she is on top of her game. Missy Elliott declares her presence in the music industry and her distinct style that others can’t imitate. Again, she emphasizes her confidence and uniqueness.
Chorus: Reiterates the metaphor about the rain and emotional pain.
Outro: Missy continues to assert her confidence and unique style.
At the start of the YouTube video, the artist makes suggestive movements that imply self-gratification. In the song audio, there are lines and sounds that imply smoking something, perhaps marijuana. This is often represented through phrases that suggest relaxation or enjoyment. In this context, “puffing” refers to smoking a joint, which is a common term for consuming cannabis. The vibe of the song includes partying, hanging out with friends, and enjoying life, which can often include drug use in hip-hop culture.
The overall message sent: Humans employ various means of escapism to enjoy life. The experience of feeling bad, then doing things to feel good, repeats in a cycle, as the lyrics of the song repeat. Attempts to mitigate bad feelings and events with various forms of recreation including making music, partying with friends, having sex, using drugs, and enjoying being part of a culture.
NASA, you know what, I guess I get it. You decided to tell the beings of Venus the actual truth, warts and all, as captured artistically and thoughtfully by Missy Elliott. We humans are self-confident, escapist ego-driven social pleasure seekers who like to travel and explore a bit.
One artificial intelligence rated this as the most important news story for the long-term survival of humanity. If this collaboration can help stop the next US Civil War, that may well be true.
More Reading
[1] https://www.space.com/nasa-beams-missy-elliott-song-to-venus
[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/amandakooser/2024/07/18/nasa-beams-missy-elliot-hip-hop-song-to-venus/
[3] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/missy-elliott-song-outer-space-venus-nasa/
[4] https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-transmits-hip-hop-song-to-deep-space-for-first-time/
[5] https://www.them.us/story/missy-elliott-the-rain-supa-dupa-fly-venus-nasa
[6] https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2018-07/DIR-020-17%20Drug%20Slang%20Code%20Words.pdf