Nelly (1974– )

US rap artist. Known for his crossover style, drawing from his St Louis, Missouri, roots and including country and pop influences, he released his debut album, Country Grammar in 2000, which quickly topped the Billboard rap singles chart and went platinum. He followed with several more hit singles and the album Nellyville, featuring the hit single ‘Hot in Herre’, produced by The Neptunes, in 2002.

He formed a rap group with schoolfriends, the St Lunatics, and released the single ‘Gimme What Ya Got’ (1996). They established a strong local fan base but failed to gain a national following. Nelly went solo in 1999 and signed to Universal Records, but continued to play with the St Lunatics. The group released their first album, Free City, featuring the hit single ‘Midwest Swing’ in 2001. His solo single ‘Shake Ya Tailfeather’, a collaboration with P Diddy and Murphy Lee, won a Grammy Award in 2004. The albums Sweat and Suit were released later the same year.

He was born in Texas but grew up in St Louis, Missouri, moving from a tough urban setting to the more suburban University City as a teenager. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and played shortstop for the St Louis Amateur Baseball Association. He launched a successful clothing line, VOKAL, in 2002, and launched his own record label, Derrty Entertainment, in 2003.