Human Interest Animals Celebrity Pets Missy Elliott Previously Put Tour Plans on Hold to Care for Her Dying Dog: 'I Stayed Home a Lot' (Exclusive) "He was 17, and he lived a long, happy life," Elliott said of her beloved dog, Hoodie By Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman is a digital writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has previously appeared in Forbes and she has also worked in broadcast television as a reporter for Hawaii-based news station KHON2 News. People Editorial Guidelines and Janine Rubenstein Janine Rubenstein Janine Rubenstein is Editor-at-Large at PEOPLE and host of PEOPLE Every Day podcast, a daily dose of breaking news, pop culture and heartwarming human interest stories. Formerly Senior Editor of music content, she's also covered crime, human interest and television news throughout her many years with the brand. Prior to PEOPLE she's written for Essence, The Cape Times newspaper and Los Angeles Magazine among others. On-screen Rubenstein can be found featured on shows like Good Morning America and Entertainment Tonight and she routinely hosts PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly's star-studded Red Carpet Live specials. Follow the San Francisco native, Black Barbie collector and proud mom of two on Instagram and Twitter @janinerube People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 4, 2024 09:00AM EDT Close Missy Elliot. Photo: Derek Blanks Missy Elliott's late pet greatly influenced her decision to embark on her upcoming tour. The hip-hop icon, 52, revealed ahead of her upcoming tour, Out of This World - The Missy Elliott Experience, that she previously postponed going on tour several times — most recently to look after her beloved dog Hoodie, who died in November. "I stayed home a lot because I didn't want to go out on the road, and something happened," Elliott, 53, exclusively told PEOPLE. "He was 17 and lived a long, happy life." She adds that her senior dog was "so pretty" and "lived a very long time." After Hoodie's death, encouragement from her friend Ciara helped motivate Elliott to tour again. Missy Elliott Says 'I'm Blessed to Be Here' After Struggles with Graves' Disease, Anxiety (Exclusive) "So I said, 'Okay, now I can leave the house without having to worry about anything,'" she recalls thinking after Hoodie's death. "So Ciara and my dog played a big influence in me making the decision to go out." Elliott won't be alone on the tour. She will be accompanied by her dog, Miss Fendi Dior. "She's six years old," the Grammy-winning artist says. 'So [she's] got her clothes ready to go out on the road with us. [It'll] be fun, fun." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Elliott notes that her new pup loves to dress up and was "excited" to wear matching outfits with her on the tour. "I know people sometimes be like, 'Why y'all dressing those dogs?'... But she likes clothes. She really [does] like clothes. She [sees] me pulling out the outfit [and] she's running. She knows that means," she says of Miss Fendi Dior. DJ Kygo Treats Terminally Ill Dog Named After Him to VIP Experience at His Festival: 'Dream Come True' The rapper's dogs have always had a sense of style, which Elliott has shown on social media. She previously shared photos of Hoodie in sleek outfits like a fur coat for winter. Miss Fendi Dior will continue this trend as she heads off on tour with Elliott and her pet parent's close friends and longtime collaborators, Ciara and Busta Rhymes. Elliott says she has been stepping up rehearsals in preparation for the tour's start: "It's full days, then I go home, and the work continues. But I feel good. I'm super excited." Elliott's Out of This World - The Missy Elliott Experience tour starts on July 4.