Happy 20th Anniversary to Nelly’s second studio album Nellyville, originally released June 25, 2002.
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It had been almost exactly two years since Nelly released his imposing debut album Country Grammar (2000). The anticipation for his sophomore record was high due to the fact that Country Grammar spent a significant amount of time at #1 on the album charts, with an array of hit singles—including “Country Grammar (Hot Shit)” and “Ride Wit Me”—still on the charts two years later.
After receiving so much instant success with his inaugural effort, Nelly was determined to bounce back with another majestic album. Aided by special guest appearances from Justin Timberlake, Kelly Rowland, Beanie Sigel, Freeway and Dani Stevenson, Nellyville more than delivered upon the promise of its precursor.
One of the most notable revelations that can be heard throughout the album is producer Jay E keeping the sound consistently refined and versatile. The ability to play Country Grammar in the car, in the house, and at the club made it a stellar debut and the vibe continued with Nellyville.
In a 2005 interview with NME, Nelly claimed that Nellyville is split between club tunes, aids to seduction, and the occasional grimy workout. A perfect combination, and one that was encapsulated by the project’s most popular song, the Neptunes-produced “Hot In Herre.” A party song that just makes you want to dance and have a good time, “Hot In Herre” was remarkably added to Nellyville at the last minute and ended up helping Nellyville become one of biggest-selling hip-hop albums of all time. To this day, it remains a go-to for clubs and has stood the test of time as a classic. Featuring additional vocals by Nelly’s former Universal labelmate Dani Stevenson and incorporating the hook from Chuck Brown's 1979 single "Bustin' Loose,” “Hot In Herre” became Nelly’s first #1 entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and won him his first hardware at the 2003 GRAMMY Awards, where he walked away with the Best Male Rap Solo Performance award.
After multiple weeks at the #1 spot on the charts, “Hot In Herre” was finally unseated from the top position by none other than Nelly himself. On the same day as the album’s release, Nelly released the second single “Dilemma,” a pop/R&B flavored ballad that samples Patti LaBelle’s hit song “Love Need And Want You” and features former Destiny Child group member Kelly Rowland. Nelly’s examination of a man expressing his love and admiration for a woman that’s already in a committed relationship but reciprocates his sentiments remained #1 for ten consecutive weeks, won Best Rap/Sung Performance and was nominated for Record of the Year at the 45th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
Elsewhere on Nellyville, Nelly uses a smooth Midwestern drawl and a harmonious musical flow to pull you in, but the comedy and wit he consistently displays keeps you coming back for more. Perhaps surprisingly to some, Nelly also showed his stripes as a battle rapper. After KRS-One called him out over his song "#1" (historians take note: Boogie Down Productions recorded "I'm Still #1" back in 1988), Nelly teamed up with Beanie Sigel, Freeway and Murphy Lee to record a "Roc the Mic Remix" that pulls Kris Parker's card hard with lines like, "I strike a nerve in old MC's wantin’ to come back / I got the strength that he's lost and that's fact / Like K, 'know' one herre even said your name / R, you 'really' feelin’ guilty bout somethin’ mayne / S, 'sad to see' you really just want just / one…more…hit…please please! / You the first old man should get a rapper's pension."
“Pimp Juice” is one of the most memorable tracks on the album. No, it didn’t do crazy numbers on the charts, but if someone listened to this album in its entirety, they’ll instantly remember the song that seemingly glorifies prostitution. “Pimp Juice" is used to attract the opposite sex, whether through the means of money, fame or intellect. There were several people who were offended by the song’s explicit lyrical content (Spelman College formally protested the lyrics). Admittedly, as a 12-year-old kid listening to the album, I just wanted to be cool and “Pimp Juice” made me feel like a cool kid from the ‘70s driving along in a ‘74 Coupe Deville.
We cannot revisit this album without talking about the impact that “Air Force Ones” had on hip-hop. both musically and culturally. Not only did Nelly & The St. Lunatics have everyone singing along with the song, but they also had everyone dressing like them. I remember taking trips to the mall to buy my own pair of Nike Air Force Ones and the lines would be hysterically long, full of people wanting to buy the exact same pair of shoes.
Looking ahead 20 years later, it’s time to discuss the legendary status of the song. No, Nelly wasn’t the first rapper to voice his support for Air Force Ones in his lyrics, but his song started an entire cultural movement in the early 2000s and sales of the shoes went through the roof, even surpassing over 12 million pairs sold in one year. Once hip-hop culture crosses over to the mainstream audience through a song, you’ve stumbled across an all-time classic hip-hop record and “Air Force Ones” is a prime example of this phenomenon.
After traveling back and listening to Nellyville, I’ve come to the realization that it’s definitely a cool place and I would love to live the luxurious life he does. If you’re expecting something lyrically profound, you're definitely not going to get it from Nellyville. Perhaps except for “#1,” which ended up becoming an anthem for stadiums everywhere and even appeared in the film Training Day.
Nellyville topped the R&B/Hip-Hop album charts, Rap album charts, U.S. Billboard Top 200 charts, and the Top R&B charts. The album helped Nelly cement his name as a hip-hop icon and most recently, he was recognized as the 2021 BET I Am Hip-Hop Award Winner. Watching him perform all of his classics helped refresh people’s memories about how many hits he has in his catalog, many of them coming from Nellyville. The album is all about having a good time and indulging in the good life in Nelly's world, so enjoy the ride.
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