Missy Elliott on Turning Fan Mail into Friendship with Janet Jackson (Exclusive)

On Saturday, the singer and rapper will receive the Innovator Icon Award during Black Music Honors

Missy Elliott is reminiscing on her early days as a Jackson 5 fangirl after receiving a prestigious honor in the music industry herself.

On Saturday, the 8th annual Black Music Honors will premiere on the Stellar Networks, where Elliott will receive the 2023 Innovator Icon award. In a video interview premiering exclusively with PEOPLE, the rapper opened up about what this moment meant for her.

"That's a huge deal, especially when you are acknowledged by your people. We are very hard, you can't just please us any kind of way," Elliott, 51, says. "You've got to have a real talent. You have to put in that work. When you are acknowledged by Black Music Honors, you can see that your work hadn't been in vain."

Related: Missy Elliott Says Witnessing Mom's Past 'Abusive Relationship' Inspired Her to 'Make It' in Music

Elliott (born Melissa Arnette Elliott) is also set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 3. In light of the honor, she recalled her days as a young girl, writing fan mail to Janet Jackson.

"Janet said that she is proud of me. You have to understand — the majority of us look at the Jacksons like royalty. To have Janet Jackson say that she's proud of you — that speaks for itself," the "Get Ur Freak On" singer says.

She adds, "I think anybody would just be in awe — she's somebody that I used to write to. I used to get my mother to get 25-cent stamps. I said, 'They're gonna come pick me up — her and Michael are gonna pick me up from school.' I used to visualize them in a limo pulling up to my school. To now be friends with her and to have her say that she's proud of me means the world to me."

In November, the "Lost Control" singer — who made the list in the first year of eligibility — will be the first female hip-hop artist to be inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — and she's still "pinching herself."

"There's so many women before who have inspired me. I always say a root cannot stand alone you have to have a foundation and that foundation has gotten me to this place," she says. "They are the shoulders that I stand on."

Related: Lil Wayne, Missy Elliott, Run-DMC Celebrate 50 Years of Hip-Hop with 2023 Grammys Performance

She adds of the induction: "I never thought that in a million years... that's probably the top tier of making it as an artist. A lot of people went up a bunch of times and still haven't gotten that. I didn't have this on the bingo card but I have worked hard."

Elliott will be inducted alongside Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners in the performer category.

The Black Music Honors event — which includes soul-stirring performances and unforgettable surprises — will premiere Saturday on The Stellar Network at 8 p.m. ET. The excitement will continue all month long with a national syndication broadcast running from June 10 to July 2. It will also air on Bounce TV as a part of a Juneteenth celebration on June 19 at 7 p.m. ET.

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Read the original article on People.