It’s Missy Elliott’s day in Portsmouth: Street naming, parade and more planned

Portsmouth native and 5-time Grammy winner Missy Elliott will return to her alma mater — Manor High School — this afternoon for the dedication of Missy Elliott Boulevard.

The free dedication ceremony will be held from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Monday at Manor High School’s football stadium, located at 1401 Elmhurst Lane in Portsmouth.

The ceremony will include a parade that will begin in the stadium, and remarks by Portsmouth leaders, Congressman Bobby Scott and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. Doors will open at 2 p.m. Attendees can approach on Elmhurst Lane traveling from Airline Boulevard.

Local high school and college bands will perform at the parade. The college bands slated to make an appearance are the Norfolk State University Marching Band, Hampton University Marching Band and Elizabeth City State University Marching Band. The high school bands participating will be Churchland High School Band, Manor High School Band and I.C. Norcom High School Band.

Elliott herself will be at Missy Elliott Boulevard to take pictures. Other big names in hip hop expected to attend are Virginia-native Pusha T, Trey Songz and Timbaland.

Mayor Shannon Glover will present Elliott with a key to the city.

Drivers in the area should expect disruptions from 1-5 p.m. Eastbound traffic along Airline Boulevard at Portsmouth Boulevard will go from three lanes to one, and McLean Street will be shut down from Airline Boulevard to the entrance of Victory Crossing, according to a news release from the city.

Additionally, Elmhurst Lane from Sequoia Road to Brunswick Road and Cherokee Road, from Baskerville Road to Logan Drive will be shut down from approximately 1 p.m. until about 5 p.m.

The Portsmouth City Council voted in August to rename a 1-mile portion of McLean Street in honor of Elliott. The new street name will stretch from Airline Boulevard to Greenwood Drive near Tidewater Community College and the future Portsmouth Rivers Casino.

Born Melissa Arnette Elliott in 1971, the Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and producer graduated in 1990 from Manor High School. The school’s name was changed to Wilson High School in 1993. She donated thousands of dollars to the school in the past, including $30,000 in 2021 to support the school’s name change from Wilson High School back to Manor.

She is also the first female rapper to be inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has won numerous BET and MTV Video Music awards, including the Video Vanguard Award. Last year, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com