June 23rd, 2020 marked the 20th Anniversary of the release of Nelly’s diamond certified debut album, Country Grammar, and to celebrate, the hip hop icon is taking fans back to the summer of 2000 with a special live performance of the album in its entirety with his band, for the first time ever. The show will be broadcast around the world on YouTube, HERE, on July 25th at 6pm PST / 9pm EST / 2am + 1 day BST.
“Anytime you get a chance to celebrate 20 years, you want to do something that you have never done before — so we are going to rock the Country Grammar album top to bottom.” said Nelly.
Nelly’s classic videos “Country Grammar (Hot Sh*t),” “E.I.,” “Ride Wit Me,” “Batter Up,” were originally made for TV and mono sound. They have been recently released on HD providing audio and video quality to the highest standards available for today’s mobile, desktop and hi-definition TV viewing, HERE.
Recorded as part of MelodyVR’s ongoing Live From LA series, this landmark event will be free to view via YouTube. The full concert will be available only from July 25-July 31 on Nelly’s YouTube Channel, HERE. A few select clips will be available weekly on July 31, August 7, August 14, and August 21.
Country Grammar debuted at No. 3 on the Top 200 and soon vaulted to No. 1. In 2016, the RIAA certified the album Diamond, selling more than 10 million copies to date, a feat which placed Nelly among rock superstars like Led Zeppelin, the Doors and Bruce Springsteen. Country Grammar was also 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. The 20th anniversary digital deluxe edition of Country Grammar, with bonus tracks, will be released on July 24th, listen HERE.
Nelly’s Live from LA Setlist:
St. Louie
Greed, Hate, Envy
Country Grammar (Hot Sh*t) Steal The Show
Ride Wit Me E.I.
Thicky Thick Girl For My
Utha Side
Tho Dem Wrappas Wrap Sumden Batter Up
Never Let ‘Em C U Sweat Luven Me
About Nelly
Born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. in Austin, Texas, the rapper showed early promise, forming The St. Lunatics in 1993 with his childhood friends, MCs “Ali” Jones, Torhi “Murphy Lee” Harper, Lavell “City Spud” Webb, and Robert “Kyjuan” Cleveland. After Jay E workshopped the music with Nelly, they shopped for labels in New York and the rapper was signed to Universal Records in 1999. The pair drew deeply from the sounds that surrounded them in the Midwest — urban, country, hip-hop — and fused them into a fresh, infectious, unforgettably hooky whole.
