Portsmouth, Virginia native and Grammy award-winning producer, writer, singer, and rapper Missy Elliott delivered the keynote speech at the 109th Norfolk State University commencement ceremony on Saturday (12/10).

The ceremony, held at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall, issued degrees to more than 400 students. During her ten-minute speech, Elliot declared the graduates winners, and encouraged them to stay focused as they enter the real world. "I am proud of y’all, and y’all should be proud of y'all," the "Lose Control" rapper said during the ceremony. "Now, I want y’all to look at each other and say, ‘You already won.’ Let ’em know. There ain’t no winning. You already won. Y’all could have been doing anything else these last few years. Y’all could have been wildin' out, but y’all decided to finish the course, and that’s major."

Missy also recalled in her speech that before she "made it" in the music business the university was a hangout spot for her though she never attended.

Missy also received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and presidential medallion during the commencement and was gifted personalized shoes designed by Van Monroe. The doctorate served as her second, with the first being from Berklee College of Music alongside Justin Timberlake. To close out the ceremony, she donated $20,000 to the university to serve "the areas of greatest need."

Earlier this year, Missy had a street named after her in Portsmouth. "757 VA my Grandma who passed when I was young always told me to stay prayed up and dream big," she said following the honor. "I have been blessed so much, but this right here hits my heart differently."