July 1, 2011 16:04

Missy Elliott reveals extent of childhood sexual abuse

Rapper also discusses her parents gun altercation

Photo: PA Photos

Missy Elliott has revealed the extent of the sexual abuse she suffered as a child.

Speaking on Behind The Music which aired earlier this week, she explained how she had been abused by a relative when she was a child.

She said she was abused by her 16 year old cousin when she was 8. "Each day he wanted me to come to the house after school. It became sexual, which, for me at eight years old, I had no clue what that was, but I knew something was wrong."

"Being molested... it don't disappear. You remember it as if it was yesterday."

Elliott also revealed that she witnessed a gun altercation between her parents. Her mother Patricia recalled: "Missy saw that the fight was just beyond measures. My husband said, 'This is it, I'm gonna kill you. It's over!' I was so tired of being beaten over and over I just said, 'Fine, just do it'."

Elliott said: "He pulled the gun out in front of me. I was screaming, 'Daddy, please don't kill my mother!'"

The programme also showed the rapper working on her new album with Timbaland. The record will be her first since 2005's 'The Cookbook'.