Nelly burst onto the Hip Hop scene in 2000…many thought he would be one of a number of “commercially” successful acts of the time that would garner their 15 minutes of fame and then fade into history…not, Cornell Hayes though. He has proven that he is an artist and much more…optimizing the “middle-ground” of US Hip Hop.
Nelly is a combination of his mid-west roots…his trademarked “country grammar” added the southern edge to Hip Hop which would be driven harder by southern “krunk” acts. He has been responsible for some of the last 4 years summertime classics from ‘Hot In Herre’ to his hit with fellow St.Lunatic Murphy Lee and P-Diddy on ‘Shake Yo’ Tailfeather’ that took off in November 2003 as part of the Bad Boys II soundtrack and rolled from radio to video throughout summer 2004.
Rest assured Nelly always has something in the bag for summertime slang and club beat anthems.
Born in St. Louis, Nelly grew up in the ‘Loo, Minneapolis and New Orleans. Like most Hip Hop artists the streets influenced his growth. He had the opportunity to live a somewhat middle class lifestyle after his mom’s work moved them to nearby University City…where young Cornell was able to excel in school sports like baseball. he was also able to develop his writing and story-telling skills….this lead to him forming his first and only group, “The St. Lunatics”. In ’96 they managed to move some units in the St. Loo underground scene with the single, ‘Gimme What You Got.’
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Unfortunately, the sale and popularity of the single did not garner label A&R’s and execs knocking down the Lunatic’s studio door. Soon, the Lunatics decided that they should have a front man…someone who they would get behind and get in the door. That front man would be the group’s founder, Nelly.
In 2000, Nelly blew the hell up and the rest is history…‘Country Grammar’ 2000, in 2001 Nelly used profits from “Grammar” to produce the “Free City” album with the. St Lunatics. Then in 2002, Mr. Hayes hit it big again witht the release of his 2nd joint, “Nellyville”, which topped the Billboard album charts for weeks.
Soon after Nelly joined the ranks of other Hip Hop entrepreneurs when he launched his Vokal and Apple Bottom clothing lines, Derrty Entertainment label, Pimp Juice energy drink, Fo’ Sho Kids charity foundation…He even sponsors a US NASCAR racing team.
Nelly has also been working diligently in regards to organ donation and bone marrow transplant donors due to a life threatening illness faced by his sister.
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In late 2003, he dropped the “Da Derrty Versions: The Reinvention” which featured remixed versions of ‘Hot in Herre’, ‘Ride Wit Me’, ‘E.I.’, and ‘Air Force Ones’.
Now, almost a year after that release Mr. Hayes hass released not one…but TWO albums. Entitled respectively…“Nelly: Sweat” and “Nelly: Suit.”
HHDX had a chance to talk with Nelly during one of the few breaks in his hectic schedule.
You are definitely doing it this time…what possessed you to put out two albums?
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They started out as one album
