Were Missy Elliott and Prince planning a duet?

There could be a posthumous Prince and Missy Elliott duet in the vaults, if only she could find it.

In an interview with the CBC’s The Strombo Show in May, Elliott said she once approached Prince for permission to use a lookalike of him in one of her shows. The pair met in Los Angeles, and Prince later sent Elliott music for a potential collaboration. “He had sent me some stuff, music of his and I moved and I could never find that music,” Elliott said. “Yesterday, I was sitting there saying, I have to go to my house, in my storage space, and find this music.”

Elliott told host George Stroumboulopoulos about her admiration for the late star: “When he entered the room, he was like a giant. … We really have to start appreciating these artists while they are still here, and not wait until these moments [after they’ve died] to recognise their genius and the greatness of what they’ve done for music.”

In other news, the BET awards have announced an impressive bill of performers for their forthcoming Prince tribute. The late artist’s longtime collaborator Sheila E will play at the event, which will also feature Janelle Monáe, the Roots and D’Angelo.

The news comes weeks after the BET awards subtly suggested their Prince tribute would satisfy those disappointed with Madonna’s show at the Billboard awards.

• Prince: a life in pictures