Available on Standard Vinyl for the First Time in 20 Years!

A savvy pop-rapper with crossover appeal, Nelly seemed like a novelty when he first debuted in 2000 with “Country Grammar (Hot Shit),” yet he was no one-hit-wonder, consistently returning to the pop charts with smash hits like “Hot in Herre,” “Grillz,” and “Dilemma.” His universality was partly rooted in his hometown – the Gateway City, officially known as St. Louis, MO – which set him apart from all of the prevailing rap styles of his time. He wasn’t from the East or West Coast, nor was he from the South.

Nelly’s locale certainly informed his rapping style, which was both country and urban at the same time, as well as his dialect, which combined a Southern drawl with Midwestern twang. Plus, Nelly never shied away from a pop-rap approach, embracing a singalong vocal style that made his hooks catchier than most, thanks also in part to his standby producer, Jason “Jay E” Epperson. As a result, Nelly became a rapper capable of crossing practically all boundaries, from the Dirty South to MTV’s Total Request Live and everything in between.

With his 2002 second album Nellyville he lived up to his self-proclaimed billing as #1, topping the Billboard album chart while the Neptunes-produced lead single, “Hot in Herre,” remained atop the singles chart. In all, Nelly impressively held the number one spot on ten different Billboard charts the week of Nellyville‘s release, and he remained a chart presence as he released a string of follow-up singles: “Dilemma” (a chart-topper), “Air Force Ones” (a Top Three hit), “Work It” (featuring Justin Timberlake), and “Pimp Juice.”