Nelly / Too $hort

About this show

Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (born November 2, 1974), known worldwide as Nelly, is an American rapper, singer, and actor who rose to prominence out of St. Louis, Missouri. He began his career in 1993 with the Midwest hip hop group St. Lunatics before signing with Universal Records as a solo artist in 1999. His 2000 debut album, Country Grammar, became a cultural phenomenon. Powered by the hits “Country Grammar (Hot Shit)” and “Ride wit Me,” the album topped the Billboard 200 and earned diamond certification from the RIAA. He followed with Nellyville (2002), which produced back-to-back No. 1 singles “Hot in Herre” and “Dilemma” (featuring Kelly Rowland), along with the Top 5 hit “Air Force Ones.” In 2004, Nelly released the dual albums Sweat and Suit, which debuted at No. 2 and No. 1, respectively, selling a combined 700,000 copies in their first week. Subsequent albums included Brass Knuckles (2008), 5.0 (2010)—featuring the triple-platinum hit “Just a Dream”—M.O. (2013), and Heartland (2021), which marked a stylistic shift toward country rap. Over his career, Nelly has won three Grammy Awards and nine Billboard Music Awards. Billboard ranked him No. 3 on its Top Artists of the Decade for the 2000s, and in 2014 the RIAA named him the fourth best-selling hip-hop artist in U.S. history, with more than 21 million albums sold domestically. Beyond music, Nelly appeared in the 2005 film The Longest Yard and launched successful fashion brands, including Vokal and Apple Bottoms. He also founded the label Derrty Entertainment in partnership with Motown. Your concert ticket includes same-day Fair admission. So arrive early and stay late.