Missy Elliott and Justin Timberlake can both now put Dr. in front their names.
Over the weekend, Missy Elliott and Justin Timberlake both received honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music.
Elliott and Timberlake were both honored at Berklee College of Music’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11 at Boston’s Agganis Arena.
Elliott delivered a heartfelt commencement speech .”Oh god. Let me just soak it in,” a tearful Elliott said before starting. She shared a few stories about how she was initially discouraged because she felt like she didn’t have the look to make it in the music industry and about how she got dropped from her former girl group.
She also referenced her battle with Graves disease that at one point took away her ability to write because her nervous system shut down.
“As long as you are breathing, it is never too late because people will tell you-you’re too old. People will tell you it’ll never work. Don’t believe that because I’m standing here today, “she said.
Timberlake looked like a proud brother while Elliott gave her speech and afterward he greeted her with a huge hug alongside happy dancing.
Elliott took to Instagram to show off her new degree with a video. “CREATE YOUR OWN LANE!!!! Sincerely Dr. MISSY ELLIOTT,” she wrote as her caption.
Next month, Elliott will make history becoming the first woman hip-hop artist to ever be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter.
