Nelly
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- This article is about Nelly, the rapper. For the female singer, see Nelly Furtado.
Nelly.jpg
Nelly (November 2, 1978) is an American rapper. Born Cornell Haynes Jr. in Austin, Texas, he spent the first few years of his life living in Spain before moving to St. Louis, Missouri. He first came to mainstream audiences with Country Grammar (2000) and released Free City with his St. Louis crew the St. Lunatics in 2001. Country Grammar turned out to become a mainstream success that set the stage for his breakthrough album, Nellyville. Nellyville established him as one of the most famous rappers in the early 2000s, with an image of being equal parts handsome boy-next-door and tough gangsta. From the beginnings of his pop career, the lyrics of "Country Grammar" explored this dichotomy, posing the question: "Who says pretty boys can't be wild niggaz?" and containing references to gun violence and drug use while also sending shoutouts to billionaires Bill Gates and Donald Trump.
The 2002 single "Hot in Herre" (see also quote in Nudity) was also tremendously popular, as was its follow-up, "Dilemma," which featured vocals by Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child.
In early 2003, Nelly released the controversial single, "Air Force Ones". MTV, MTV2, and VH1 refused to air the video due to product placement for the popular sneakers of the same name. BET, however, played it.
On September 14, 2004, Nelly released two albums, Sweat and Suit. Suit, an R&B-oriented album, debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart and Sweat, a rap-oriented album, debuted at #2 on the same week. From the Suit album, the slow ballad "Over and Over", an unlikely duet with country music star Tim McGraw, became another crossover hit. Nelly performed the song with McGraw on the latter's CBS Television concert special in 2004. Nelly is part owner of the NBA expansion team Charlotte Bobcats with BET founder Robert Johnson as of 2005.
Discography
Albums/Singles
- 2000 Country Grammar #1 US, #14 UK US Sales: 9.8 million (Cert. Diamond)
- 2000 "(Hot Shit) Country Grammar" #7 US, #7 UK
- 2000 "E.I." #16 US, #11 UK (2001 release in the UK)
- 2001 "Ride wit Me" (feat. City Spud) #3 US, #3 UK
- 2001 "Batter Up" (with St. Lunatics) #28 UK
- 2002 Nellyville #1 US, #2 UK US Sales: 6.5 million (Cert. 7x Platinum)
- 2001 "#1" #22 US
- 2002 "Hot in Herre" #1 US, #4 UK - Gold certification
- 2002 "Dilemma" (feat. Kelly Rowland) #1 US, #1 UK
- 2002 "Air Force Ones" #3 US
- 2003 "Work It" (feat. Justin Timberlake) #7 UK
- 2003 "Pimp Juice" #58 US
- 2003 "Iz U" #36 UK
- 2003 "Work It" (f. Justin Timberlake) #58 US
- 2003 Da Derrty Versions: The Reinvention #12 US US Sales: 1.3 million (Cert. Platinum)
- 2003 "Work It" (f. Justin Timberlake) (Scott Storch Remix) #58 US
- 2004 Sweat #2 US, #11 UK US Sales: 1.7 million (Cert. 2x Platinum)
- 2004 "Flap Your Wings" #52 US
- 2004 "Tilt Ya Head Back" (with Christina Aguilera) #58 US, #5 UK - Gold certification
- 2004 Suit #1 US, #8 UK US Sales: 3.3 million (Cert. 3x Platinum)
- 2004 "My Place" #4 US, #1 UK (double A-side with Flap Your Wings in the UK) - Gold certification
- 2004 "Over and Over" (feat. Tim McGraw) #3 US, #1 UK (2005 release in the UK - Platinum certification
- 2005 "N Dey Say" #64 US, #6 UK
- 2005 Sweat & Suit (two albums repackaged into one) #41 UK US Sales: [technically] 6.6 million
Other Albums & Compilations
- 2001 Jagged Little Thrill (Jagged Edge)
- 2001 "Where the Party at?" (Jagged Edge feat. Nelly) #3 US, #25 UK
- 2001 Celebrity #1 US (1 week); US Sales: 5.3 million
- 2002 "Girlfriend (Neptunes Remix)" (*NSYNC feat. Nelly) #5 US, #2 UK
- 2003 "Shake Ya Tailfeather" (with P. Diddy and Murphy Lee) #1 US, #10 UK
- 2005 The Longest Yard OST
- 2005 "Errtime" (feat. Jung Tru & King Jacob) #24 US
- 2005 All or Nothing (Fat Joe)
- 2005 "Get It Poppin'" (Fat Joe feat. Nelly) #10 USde:Nelly