Missy Elliott Shares Struggles As An Artist: 'I Don't Think People Understood The Music'

"Get Ur Freak On" and "Work It" may be considered classics today, but making songs as such wasn't always a piece of cake for rap legend Missy Elliott.

During her conversation with Doja Cat, which was published in the recent issue of Interview Magazine, the 50-year-old rapper talked about her struggles and the risks she had to take to make it in the music industry.

"Sometimes you gotta take a chance. I never felt like I fit in, period. I don't think there was a lane for the music that we did," Elliott said. "The only reason they found a lane is because I was rapping over the tracks. But at first, I don't think people understood the music."

The topic was brought up after Doja Cat, who graced the cover of the said publication, confided to Elliott about her own battles as she tried to pave her way to pop stardom.

"I think everybody feels that way with their own art, in all kinds of ways," she said. "But I see all these incredibly talented rappers around me, and I'm like, 'Yeah, I'm doing pop, but I should focus on my pen now more than ever."

"It's harder for me to rap," Doja cat added. "Sometimes I get writer's block because I don't want to write something stupid. Sometimes I'll write something and be like, 'Why would I say that?' Then I'll restart, and eventually, just give up. But when I do it right, I'm really, really happy about it."

In response, Elliot praised Doja Cat.

"Well you're great at both, so make sure you give them both love, because that's a gift," Elliott told Doja Cat. "Listen, everybody is not a bar rapper. When I'm hearing people, and they got mad bars, I love it. But I'm not that girl. I will say this, and I'm sure you probably feel this way too. If we sat down, we could do it. As a writer, you can sit and create those bars."

Doja Cat then joked, "But my a-s would hurt if I was sitting that long. I would be sitting for a while. I would be hurting myself."

During the funny banter, the "Kiss Me More" singer also opened up about her insecurities in connection with some "really funky and weird" tracks she has up her sleeves, which she feels will not be received well by her pop-loving audience.

It was then that Elliot gave her some on-point career advice.

"You're starting to create your own lane," she told the Doja Cat. "It probably won't ever fit, but people will love it."

She then shared with the younger rapper what she tells every newcomer who wants to make it big in the industry.

"One thing I always say to people is, coming into this industry, we're just doing what we love to do, and nobody tells us about the ups and downs," Elliott said. "We think we're about to be famous, we're about to get mad bread, and that's it. It's a whole lot that comes with this, and a lot of people don't come in prepared, and that's why they go through anxiety and depression."

Born Melissa Arnette Elliott, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott is a four-time Grammy Award-winning artist. She began her music career with the R&B girl group Sista in the mid-90s and later joined the Swing Mob Collective, alongside Timbaland. She launched her solo career in 1997 with the album "Supa Dupa Fly," which went platinum and earned her the Rap Artist of the Year accolade from Rolling Stone.