Nelly’s ‘Country Grammar’ Turns 25: A Diamond-Certified

Nelly’s ‘Country Grammar’ Turns 25: A Diamond-Certified

Rap artist Nelly celebrates the 25th anniversary of the June 27, 2000, release of his stone-classic debut album Country Grammar, featuring the radio hits “Country Grammar,” “E.I.,” and “Ride Wit Me.”

ROLLING STONE

Rolling Stone called him “the best thing to come out of St. Louis since Redd Foxx,” NME named it “album of the year so far,” and People proclaimed that Nelly “marked his hometown of St. Louis as a major contender.”

CHARTS

The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200  to No. 1. In 2016, the RIAA certified Country Grammar Diamond, with more than 10 million copies sold to date, placing Nelly among rock legends like Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Bruce Springsteen.

ORGINS

Furthermore, when most rappers were from the East Coast, West Coast, or the South, Nelly’s unique style and approach were a breath of fresh air for Hip-Hop.

His debut single, “Country Grammar (Hot Shit),” was based on the children’s clapping game “Down Down Baby.” It was released in February 2000.

It became a smash hit, peaking at No. 7 on the Hot 100. That laid the foundation for his solid debut album. Later, he released No. 1 hits like “Grillz,” “Hot in Herre,” “Dilemma,” and the Grammy-winning “Shake Ya Tailfeather”.

Whether revisited digitally or on wax, Country Grammar’s beloved hits—like “Ride Wit Me” (No. 3) and the airwaves-conquering title track—have dominated global culture for more than two decades.

EVERGREEN ALBUM

Country Grammar’s evergreen appeal also comes from features like Cedric the Entertainer on “Intro,” Lil Wayne on “For My,” The Teamsters on “Never Let ‘Em C U Sweat,” and his longtime collaborators St. Lunatics on “Steal the Show,” “Thicky Thick Girl,” and “Batter Up”.The album went on to sell more than 10 million copies, making it the ninth best-selling rap album of all time in the U.S.

GRAMMY

Country Grammar was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2000 Grammy Awards (along with its title track for Best Rap Solo Performance), and Nelly was crowned Best New Artist at the 2001 BET Awards.

A mini-documentary was created for the 20th anniversary of Country Grammar. View it HERE.

https://nelly.lnk.to/CountryGrammar25