• November 2, 1974
• Nelly, real name Cornell Haynes Jr., was the first successful rapper to emerge from St. Louis. And he was very successful. His debut album, Country Grammar, sold over 10 million copies in America after it was released in 2000. "Ride Wit Me" and the title track were the big hits.
• He was born in Austin, Texas, moved to Spain at age three, and then to St. Louis where he was raised. Nelly's parents divorced when he was 7, and he bounced around, living with different relatives and attending various schools. By the time he was a senior in high school, he was living on his own.
• He lied about his age, claiming to be 21 when he released Country Grammar in 2000. He was actually four years older, outed in 2003 when he made the Teen People Hottest Stars Under 25 list at age 28.
• Nelly wasn't a solo act until his group, the St. Lunatics, signed with Universal Music in 1999. Universal broke off Nelly and made him the focus, which was OK with his fellow St. Lunatics, who appeared on his Country Grammar album and often performed with him. Universal issued the first St. Lunatics album in 2001. It contained just one minor hit - "Midwest Swing" - but sold a million copies in the US.
• Nelly's sister died of leukemia in 2005. He started an organization that hosts various bone marrow drives to try to save her. After her death, Nelly adopted her two children.
• Nelly achieved a unique 1-2-3-4 with his first four chart-toppers on the Hot 100. His first #1 was solo ("Hot In Herre"), his second was a collaboration with Kelly Rowland ("Dilemma"), his third, a triple effort with P. Diddy and Murphy Lee, ("Shake Ya Tailfeather") and his fourth, a quartet single featuring Paul Wall, Ali and Gipp ("Grillz").
• When Nelly took the stage in Erbil, Iraq on March 13, 2015 to raise support for ISIS victims in the northern Iraq and Syria area, he became the first American artist to perform in Erbil in its 3000-year history.
• Nelly has a lengthy history of dabbling in the country music genre, dating back to 2003 when he linked up with Tim McGraw for the country-rap hybrid "Over and Over." In 2021 he released Heartland, an album that finds him collaborating with a host of Nashville stars.
• Nelly started dating the singer Ashanti in 2003. The were together on and off until 2013, but reunited in 2023 and got married at the end of the year.
• Nelly performed at Donald Trump's Liberty Ball the night of his inauguration in 2025. Like his fellow performers The Village People, he said his appearance wasn't political, done out of respect for the office. He likened it to members of the military who have to perform their duties no matter who is president.

Comments: 6

• Ann Etta Braxton's from CaliforniaHow does Nelly stay so sexy ? Why has he not been the sexest on the people magazine list ?
• Jonatan from VästerÃ¥s, SwedenNelly is not a rapper, he's a singer. If you want to listen to REAL HIP-HOP, you DON'T listen to Nelly.
• Natosha from Red Bank, Njfirst of all I would just like to tell nelly that he is in my prayers and his sister is most definetely in a better place where there are no more sicknesses or diseases. I also don't want him to feel bad because I know that he feels as though he should have done more but there was nothing that you could do that you didn't already do. He helped to save so many other people by having those drives and he needs to keep his head up. How disrespectful is the girl that asked why he had to cancel his concert? WHY DO YOU THINK HE HAD TO CANCEL IT ?!?!
• Anthea Pindan from Perth , AustraliaNelly looks so cute my friends and i says he's the best male singer
• Margaret from Rochester, United StatesNelly is one of the greatest artist out there.Sometimes he may do things that are wrong but he is agood person inside.He gives good mesages to kids to do the right thing and to stay in school.Nelly is so sexy and he does good things for others.Nelly has a foundation to hlp his sister with her lukemia. Ilove you Nelly.
• Brittany from Willingboro, NjNelly is the best and most good lokin rapper ive ever heard! He makes good songs has a nice body and is the best rapper out there and will always be the best rapper out there i love you so much if you read this Nelly i hope you will i hope i get to meet you some day and you will always be number 1
  Brittany Willingboro,NJ

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