Nelly
Nelly (born
November 2,
1978) is a
rapper. Born
Cornell Haynes Jr. in
University City, Missouri, a suburb of
St. Louis, Missouri, he first came to mainstream audiences with
Country Grammar (
2000), 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. 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 from
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. Their sister station, BET, however played it in he was in world war 2