Missy Elliott, in tears, gets inducted into Songwriters Hall

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Missy Elliott, in tears, gets inducted into Songwriters Hall

2019-06-14 14:02 Last Updated At：14:10

Missy Elliott, the creative mastermind who has written hit songs for a number of female acts and created camaraderie among women in the music industry for more than two decades, felt the love back from her musical sisters as she became the first female rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

During a performance, breakthrough singer-rapper Lizzo brought Elliott's colorful and eccentric music videos to life in an ensemble similar to what Elliott sported in the late '90s — the finger wave hairdo included. Da Brat, fiery as ever, joined Lizzo onstage for "Sock It 2 Me" in New York on Thursday night.

Queen Latifah, a Grammy, Emmy and Golden Globe winner, inducted Elliott with kind words as she paid homage to their long-lasting friendship. And even former first lady Michelle Obama took her turn to say how much of a Missy Elliott fan she is.

"Missy, I want to thank you for all of your trailblazing ways," Obama said in a taped video that aired during the event. "Thank you not for just sharing your gift with the world, but for being an advocate for so many people out there, especially young girls who are still figuring out how to make their voices heard."

It all brought Elliott to tears: Near the end of her 10-minute speech, the Grammy winner broke down after telling funny and deep stories about how her creative mind worked as a child.

"I am thankful," she said, pausing for a few seconds.

"Every time I come up to a podium ... even with all the work that I've done, I don't know, and I'm assuming it's just God, I don't know why I am here," she said with tears in her eyes as the audience erupted with cheers and applause. "I want to say one thing to the writers, to the upcoming writers, 'Do not give up.' We all go through writer's block. Sometimes you just have to walk away from a record and come back to it. But don't give up because I'm standing here. And this is big for hip-hop, too."

Elliott is just the third rapper to enter into the Songwriters Hall, following Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri's inductions in 2017 and 2018, respectively. While she's written her own hit songs — from "Get Ur Freak On" to "Work It" to "Lose Control" — Elliott has also lent her writing skills to others — specifically girl groups and pop and R&B soloists, including the late icon Aaliyah, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Monica, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Ariana Grande, Destiny's Child, Fantasia, Jazmine Sullivan, SWV, Total, 702, Mya, Tweet and others.

Elliott entered the 2019 class alongside heavyweights in the music industry, including legendary British singer Cat Stevens and country-folk icon John Prine.

"I love songwriting. I love to paint myself into a corner and have to write my way out of it," said Prine, who performed onstage with Bonnie Raitt. "And when I co-write I always try to pick out a really good restaurant, so if things ain't happening in the first 30 minutes, just go: 'Hey man, let's go get some lunch.'"

Cat Stevens, who converted to Islam and now goes by Yusuf/Cat Stevens, said as his life took several journeys, so did his songwriting.

"My first search was for wealth and success but then I was dragged underground after the first battle with fame and the demands of the music business. I was hospitalized with a thing called TB, but that was a great opening for me, a great chance, and that's when my real journey started," he said. "And that journey was to do a search for meaning, so that kind of defined, I think, my main contribution to being a songwriter."

Songwriters are eligible for induction after writing hit songs for at least 20 years. Other inductees were Jack Tempchin, who co-wrote songs for the Eagles and Glenn Frey's solo albums; Dallas Austin, the songwriter behind radio hits for TLC, Monica, Pink, Boyz II Men and Madonna; and Tom T. Hall, who Johnny Cash called his "all-time favorite songwriter." Hall didn't attend the 50th annual induction ceremony but taped an acceptance speech.

Sara Bareilles, who was honored at last year's ceremony, stole the show Thursday when she beautifully sang her hit "Brave." She was on piano while Jack Antonoff, the song's co-writer, assisted on guitar. They gave Martin Bandier, who stepped down as CEO and chairman of Sony/ATV Music Publishing this year, the Visionary Leadership Award.

Pop singer Halsey performed and earned the Hal David Starlight Award, while Oscar winner Carole Bayer Sager — who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall in 1987 — received the Johnny Mercer Award. The president and CEO of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Linda Moran, earned the Champion Award.

Justin Timberlake received the Contemporary Icon Award and closed the multi-hour event with a performance, singing "New York, New York" and then going into his own hits that he had a hand in writing, including "My Love" and "Cry Me a River."

Associated Press Writer Brooke Lefferts contributed to this report.

Blinken, in Shanghai, begins expected contentious talks with Chinese officials

2024-04-25 11:27 Last Updated At：11:40

SHANGHAI (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened his first full day of meetings in China on Thursday by talking with local government officials in Shanghai.

Blinken discussed local and regional issues with Chen Jining, the Chinese Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai. He also planned to speak to students and business leaders before flying to Beijing for what are expected to be contentious talks with national officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Blinken arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday shortly before President Joe Biden signed a $95 billion foreign aid package that has several elements likely to anger the Chinese, including $8 billion to counter China’s growing aggressiveness toward Taiwan and in the South China Sea. It also seeks to force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform.

China has railed against U.S. assistance to Taiwan, the self-governing island that it regards as a renegade province, and immediately condemned the move as a dangerous provocation. It also strongly opposes efforts to force TikTok’s sale.

Still, the fact that Blinken made the trip — shortly after a conversation between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, a similar visit to China by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and a call between the U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs — is a sign the two sides are at least willing to discuss their differences.

“I think it’s important to underscore the value — in fact, the necessity — of direct engagement, of speaking to each other, laying out our differences, which are real, seeking to work through them,” Blinken told Chen.

“We have an obligation for our people, indeed an obligation to the world, to manage the relationship between our two countries responsibly,” he said. “That is the obligation we have, and one that we take very seriously.”

Chen agreed with that sentiment and said the recent Biden-Xi call had helped the “stable and healthy development of our two countries’ relationship.”

“Whether we choose cooperation or confrontation affects the well-being of both peoples, both countries, and the future of humanity” he said.

Chen added that he hoped Blinken was able to get a “deep impression and understanding” of Shanghai.

Shortly after arriving, Blinken attended a Chinese basketball playoff game between the local Shanghai Sharks and the Zhejiang Golden Bulls, with the home team losing in the last seconds in 121-120 nailbiter.