Nelly is a St. Louis rapper whose crossover appeal, singalong hooks, and mix of country, street, and pop sensibilities helped make him one of the biggest hitmakers of the 2000s. What first looked like a novelty on “Country Grammar (Hot…)” quickly turned into a dominant run of chart-topping singles, Grammy wins, and six straight Top Ten albums that established him as a lasting mainstream force.
Born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., Nelly moved to St. Louis with his mother as a child and later grew up in University City, where he focused on baseball and rap. He first gained attention as part of the St. Lunatics before breaking out solo with Country Grammar in 2000, then exploded even further with Nellyville in 2002, which produced major hits like “Hot in Herre,” “Dilemma,” and “Air Force Ones” and helped cement his place in rap and pop culture.
