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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 30 January 2020

In this Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020 photo, Singer Gloria Estefan
moderates a presentation with Supreme Court Justice Sonia
Sotomayor in Miami.
Associated Press
Justice Sotomayor

teases new picture

book on civics, heroes This combination photo shows H.E.R. performing at the 2019 Essence Festival in New Orleans on

July 6, 2019, left, and Missy Elliott performing at the 2019 Essence Festival on July 5, 2019. The pair
will appear in a new Pepsi commercial that will debut for the Super Bowl.
By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON kids, and she notes that her Associated Press
Associated Press works come out simultane-
MIAMI (AP) — Supreme ously in Spanish because Rapper Missy Elliott, H.E.R. team
Court Justice Sonia Soto- she grew up in New York
mayor wants young chil- City to Puerto Rican parents up for Pepsi Super Bowl ad
dren to think of citizenship speaking the language but
in a different way. not finding enough litera-
The justice sat down with ture in her mother tongue. By KELLI KENNEDY 'This girl is really talented'." She added she's always
Grammy Award winning After her 2013 memoir, "My Associated Press Now the pair are collabo- admired Elliott's individual-
singer Gloria Estefan in Mi- Beloved World," came out, FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) rating on a cover of the ity and creativity as a pro-
ami and told a crowd of she wrote an abridged — Almost three years ago, Rolling Stones' classic "Paint ducer.
hundreds about the idea version for middle school Missy Elliott sent a tweet it Black" for the commer- "Missy's vibe is what I really
for her next children's book, readers. Then she wrote an to a then under-the-radar cial. loved and looked up to
which will be about civic autobiographical picture artist whose music she ad- The animated ad for Pepsi growing up, just how differ-
participation. book, "Turning Pages," in mired and told her that Zero Sugar features H.E.R's ent she dared to be."
Sotomayor said her pre- 2018 and her most recent "she was going to blow up." sultry sound awash in red, So can fans expect to see
ferred title would be "How picture book, "Just Ask!," Fast forward to 2020 and surrounded by fluid danc- the artists make an ap-
To Be a Hero," and the book published last year, about H.E.R. has been nominat- ers swishing long, red trains pearance in Miami for the
will portray acts of civic children with "life challeng- ed for a total of 10 career before it melds into a black big game?
participation as heroic. es" such as attention deficit Grammys, won two and stage punctuated by an H.E.R. is still recovering from
"People think of citizen- disorder, autism, blindness is now starring with the upbeat rap from Elliott. her whirlwind Grammy
ship as a formal title of be- and diabetes. Sotomayor rap legend in a new Pepsi The new track was co-pro- weekend: She performed
longing to a country," she was diagnosed with diabe- commercial that will debut duced by Elliott and long- on the telecast and was
said. "Citizenship with a tes at age 7. for the Super Bowl. time collaborator Timbal- nominated for five Gram-
small 'c' is what we are in Sotomayor told the crowd "When Pepsi reached out and with original lyrics from mys, including record, song
every community that we Tuesday not to scold chil- and said we want to have both artists and guitar and and album of the year.
choose to live in: wheth- dren when they stare at you on the Super Bowl vocals from H.E.R. And Elliott is, um well, a little
er it's your building, your people with deformities. commercial and the other "It's scary when you're hav- afraid to come to Miami
block, the community of "Teach them not to have person would be H.E.R. I ing to recreate something even though she owns two
the church, the community pity but to have curiosity," was like, 'Oh my God, this is that is so iconic and make houses here.
of your school." Appointed she said. major'" Elliott said. sure that you do it justice," "Last time I was there I went
to the court by President Sotomayor sat for only a Elliott first heard of the "Best said Elliott, who performed to open the door and a
Barack Obama in 2009, few minutes with Estefan, Part" singer from a friend at the Super Bowl with Katy gecko lizard jumped on
Sotomayor said she wants and then both women who had her debut album Perry in 2015. my shoulder and I swore I'd
to use her platform as a walked along the rows of on repeat. The two are the latest to join never come back. I was so
justice to inspire children the Temple Judea syna- Elliott thought the record Pepsi's ad lineup, joining scared ... those little gecko
through books, this time by gogue in the Coral Gables was "hot" and "immediately the ranks of Ray Charles, lizards are everywhere."q
helping "kids understand suburb. She shook hands started Googling her," but Michael Jackson, Tina Turn-
what it takes to change the with many but only took couldn't find much infor- er and Britney Spears.
world." written questions— and mation beyond her mix- They bonded in the studio,
"Everyone of us has a re- hugs— from children. tape. where H.E.R. said they got
sponsibility to make that The Cuban-born singer "It made me fall in love to know each other on a
community better. And read aloud a question from with her music," Elliott told more personal level.
that's what makes heroes— a 5-year-old girl before ask- The Associated Press in a "She was telling me tour
it's those people who see ing her to approach Soto- recent phone interview. stories ... I felt like I had
something wrong in their mayor. "How can I stop be- "I didn't get into what she the inside scoop. It was re-
community and say 'I will ing shy?" Estefan read. looked like, what she said, ally cool to peek into her
work to change that,'" she Sotomayor looked at the what she had on, it was world," said H.E.R. "She's just
said. Sotomayor has kept girl and smiled. "You just just the lyrics and the tracks dope musically…there's
busy writing content for started," she said.q and all that and I was like, nobody like Missy."