News: Missy Elliott Breaks Silence On Music Hiatus, "I Couldn't [Even] Write"

Female rapper Missy Elliott finally explains her hiatus from the music spotlight in an upcoming episode of VH1's "Behind the Music" and reveals her struggle with health problems.

On the episode, Missy also opens up about sexual abuse as a child.

According to Brad Abramson, executive producer for Missy's VH1 Behind the Music (premiering June 29) the visionary suffered from painful health problems. "Missy was great and very candid. She talked for the first time about her [near fatal bout with] Graves disease, which she's been battling for the last few years, and spoke in detail about the sexual abuse she experienced as a child." Missy opened up about her fight with the autoimmune disease even more saying: "You live with it the rest of your life. I couldn't write because my nervous system was so bad. I couldn't even use a pen." (VIBE)

Graves disease is associated with the body's metabolism function.

Graves disease is an autoimmune disorder that leads to overactivity of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). The thyroid gland is an important organ of the endocrine system. It is located in the front of the neck just below the voice box. This gland releases the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which control body metabolism. Controlling metabolism is critical for regulating mood, weight, and mental and physical energy levels. (NCBI)

In April, rapper Da Brat said Missy is looking to possibly retire from album-making.

"I was hoping for a 'Ladies Night' reunion. I spoke to Missy and she down for it. She want to do a song because she said this could possibly be her last album," Da Brat said. "I'm definitely coming back out ASAP." (Sister 2 Sister Magazine)

Last fall, Missy explained her preference to work behind the scenes with artists like R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan.

"People always be like, 'Where [you] been?' but you gotta remember, I got Jazmine Sullivan out there, I had Monica 'Everything [To Me']," Missy explained in an interview. "I'm always having artists that I'm doing records on so I'm just behind the scenes right now. I did the artist thing, now I'm just writing and producing...It's been a long time coming but she gon' be around for a long time. She's gon' make people have to step up they singing...Jazmine sing from the soul. She sing from a different place. She's not just a singer, she sings from a place where you feel like she been through those things before. And she got a husky voice and we haven't heard that really in R&B in a long time so she [has] a unique voice." (MTV)