NASA Sends Hip-Hop Classic 158 Million Miles To Venus

Lyrics to Missy Elliott’s song “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” were transmitted by NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) to Venus, approximately 158 million miles from Earth. The transmission was the first time a hip-hop song was sent by the DSN system.

According to NASA:

[“The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”] traveled about 158 million miles (254 million kilometers) from Earth to Venus — the artist’s favorite planet. Transmitted at the speed of light, the radio frequency signal took nearly 14 minutes to reach the planet. The transmission was made by the 34-meter (112-foot) wide Deep Space Station 13 (DSS-13) radio dish antenna, located at the DSN’s Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex, near Barstow in California. Coincidentally, the DSS-13 also is nicknamed Venus.

“I still can’t believe I’m going out of this world with NASA through the Deep Space Network when ‘The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)’ becomes the first ever hip-hop song to transmit to space!” said Elliott. “I chose Venus because it symbolizes strength, beauty, and empowerment and I am so humbled to have the opportunity to share my art and my message with the universe!”

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California administered the “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” transmission on Friday, July 12. NASA’s previous song transmission, The Beatles’ “Across The Universe,” was sent over its Deep Space Network in 2008.

“Both space exploration and Missy Elliott’s art have been about pushing boundaries,” said Brittany Brown, director, Digital and Technology Division, Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Missy has a track record of infusing space-centric storytelling and futuristic visuals in her music videos, so the opportunity to collaborate on something out of this world is truly fitting.”

“The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” was Missy Elliott’s first single off her 1997 breakout debut album, Supa Dupa Fly. Based on a sample of Ann Peebles’ recording of “I Can’t Stand the Rain,” the Timbaland-produced track and its accompanying Hype Williams-directed music video helped propel Elliott to stardom through the now-iconic blow-up patent leather suit she wore in the video.

A multi-Grammy Award winner, Elliott was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2023. Elliott recently embarked on Out Of This World – The Missy Elliott Experience Tour, the hip-hop star’s first headlining tour.