(Cover) - EN Music - Missy Elliott says following her heart led her to have a successful career.

The 39-year-old musician has been mainly behind the scenes of late, working on records for her protgs such as 23-year-old soul sensation Jazmine Sullivan.

But the R&B superstar is ready to get back in the limelight herself, and has revealed the ups and downs of her career in a VH1 Behind the Music episode.

The talented star is shown working on her new album which is due out early next year, and explains the motivation behind her illustrious music career.

"What I hope my fans see when watching this episode is that as artists we are human. We have our up and down moments of life. But when you believe in yourself and not conform to what the world wants you to be and do what your heart tells you, you can do anything," she told hamptonroads.com. "Even when doors are shut, God makes sure another one opens."

The hip-hop artist, who recently revealed she was diagnosed with the autoimmune condition Graves' disease in 2008, says her talent was nurtured from a young age. Missy recalls practicing her rapping with her friends at a designated area in their neighbourhood.

"Growing up in Portsmouth, all my friends lived in Churchland and Cavalier Manor. So I would hang out there a lot. Of course, my high school was the best time of growing up in Portsmouth. It was called Manor High back then. That's where I used to be rapping on what we called 'The Square'," she added. (C) Cover Media