Last month, the city council in Portsmouth, VA voted unanimously to rename a portion of McClean Street "Missy Elliott Boulevard," and the Hip-Hop star celebrated the unveiling of the sign on Twitter, saying that the honor "hits my heart differently."

Missy also tweeted she has plans to visit the city to take a picture next to the sign. A Virginia native, Missy was born at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center and grew up in the Hodges Ferry community before graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School (now Manor High School) in 1990. Earlier this summer in an interview with Essence, Missy spoke about her love for her home state.

"When you talk about game-changing states, Virginia has to be on the top of that list,” she said, listing folks like Ella Fitzgerald, Allen Iverson, D’Angelo, and Booker T. Washington. “We have so much talent that has gone on to become successful. It’s not just Missy, Timbaland and Pharrell – there’s Pusha T, and so many others. We always say there’s something in the water; that’s our big saying. It isn’t just artists, but legendary artists. Whether it’s sports, entertainment or otherwise, I just feel honored that I’m able to properly represent that.”