Nelly is one of the most beloved rappers from the early 2000s, and whenever he performs, fans show up to get a taste of the Country Grammar rapper. With the world opening back up, Nelly is one of the many artists looking to hit the stage again, but not everyone is feeling it.
According to a report by Coeur d’Alene Press, Nelly has a sold-out concert at the North Idaho State Fair next month, but residents in Kootenai County are not happy. The community expressed concerns in an email chain titled “Whoa Nelly” where they felt “appalled by the actions of the fair board in selecting rapper entertainment for the fair.”
The COVID-19 pandemic caused financial issues for the North Idaho Fair Board, and they needed to combat that. Residents feel Nelly’s addition to the fair erases traditional values in favor of getting coin from out-of-state visitors.
“Perhaps the North Idaho Fair Board has already made enough money on ticket sales to the denizens of Seattle and Portland to ignore any boycott attempt,” one person wrote in the email thread. “Collecting money through ticket sales to people who live in CHAZ and CHOP might just help us get past the financial difficulties of the last year but is that what we are willing to sell our cultural souls for?”
Another person added, “We are not oldsters that deny changing times. We are serious, responsible citizens with moral character who recognize filth and the increasing depravity of our youth stimulated when we see it. Nelly is no Elvis Presley.”
Nelly’s 2002 hit “Pimp Juice” was also discussed in the email. Residents feel the message in the song is not something Kootenai County wants to celebrate.
“Please think about the message he is sending…make him go to Portland/Seattle where he will be welcomed, not Idaho,” residents wrote in the email.
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Nelly was recently welcomed by the city of Indiana for a performance there. Despite all the commotion, Kootenai County Fairgrounds General Manager Alexcia Jordan and the North Idaho Fair Board are expected to have Nelly’s concert run without issue. Nelly is scheduled to take the stage at Findlay Arena at 7:30 p.m. local time on August 23.
The North Idaho State Fair reported over 7,800 tickets had been sold for the entertainment events, with Nelly being responsible for 3,252 of those tickets.
They said “ Nelly is no Elvis Presley.” Wasn’t Elvis a known racist as well as a known individual that stole his craft from African Americans? Lol! These dudes sound like the proud boys and Karen’s. Wtf cares about Idaho anyway. Backwoods state that’s still in the past.
I live here. While quite a few are open minded many are still stuck with their closeted mentality. You can’t fix stupid.
Lol. They worried bout Nelly. Send em Tekashi and Lil Durk
Idaho resident here and let me be the first of many to say that the opinions of some do not represent the opinions of the entire community. Whoever jumped on this boycott bandwagon of b******* are truly ignorant and honestly have no right to speak on behalf of anyone but themselves. I can guarantee that Nelly as well as many other rap or especially hip hop artists would be able to sell out shows easily in North Idaho to only North Idaho residents meaning that there is a huge demographic of people whom do not agree with the opinions of these yahoos. Don’t get me wrong Idaho is at least 50 years behind in times and I don’t disagree with that, but that doesn’t represent all idahoans.
Stephen Marley sold out Live After 5. That was a great show. The local artist Echo sells out his shows so does the local cover band New Jack. If those who hiding behind their rhetoric don’t like it they shouldn’t go to a show they had zero intention of going to anyways.
city of Indiana?
….??
Come to the Southampton County fair. PLEASE!! I’d absolutely love to see Nelly here! That’d be freaking awesome.
Drag yourselves into 2021 people! I wish I had known Nelly was coming to the North Idaho fair!! I would have scooped up some tickets. If people don’t like his music, they don’t have to go to the show, but stop making people who live in North Idaho sound like racist asshats!!
Well said, completely agree
Regardless of the ignorance that lives here in the shadows. The show is completely sold out and has been in the first day the tickets went on sale. All these “I’m not racist. I have black friends” closeted are cowards. This area has changed heavily in culture & diversity since I moved here. It’s great seeing more of my people.
Lol all you hollering “damn racists” must of forgotten all of his very inspiring criminal shenanigans during the late 2000s not to mention his arrests for meth. These people are just saying maybe else???
Yeah, ok Coeur d Alene, with the morality bullshit. I can see the elitist asshole silver buckle seat holding rich “cowboy” who feels offended by this. A big middle finger to them, it’s not your town, it never was, and it will never be. That show sold out so fast not from chop or Chaz, but from the rest of the normal people living in the county. Rich hicks think they be running the place.
I love Nelly and I personally will light up if he makes a personal appeal at little chasers in Detroit, October 28th with Florida Georgia line ♥. I have a long medical history of 5 cancer survivor, MS, Chronic kidney disease looking to be on dialysis next year, rare blood clotting disorder, fibermyalgia and just broken my back and got a kyoplasty and my daughter and I are so hoping to see Nelly make a debut as we are rocking in the pit loving our country her 29 and myself 51. ??????✋? Haley Jennings and Tia Fore
There are many proud racist here in North Idaho. Emboldened even more by #45. They drive around with confederate flags and tRump 2020 attached to their pickups. Yet they love that Kardashian money. After reading this yesterday I put my home up for sale. The last straw.
Not a rap music fan, but not a racist either.
Great! The more Gleeps like lin little r that leave the better! Winning! I hope our strong market from all the people in America that are racing to move here because they agree with our ways, helped sell your house day 1 to move you off to Cucklandia.
F Trump and the Idaho racist”!
I am an african american male.I lived in CDA for a couple years. The sad truth is there are some ignorant people and they always claim it has nothing to do with race when in fact it absolutely does. People can play Nellys music in Miks or in any bar DT with no problem but as soon as the artist comes to perform his work now everyone wants to find an excuse and say we don’t want it here.