NELLYVILLE (EX)

Personnel includes: Nelly, Murphy Lee, Ali, Kyjuan, Freeway, Beanie Sigel, King Jacob (rap vocals); Justin Timberlake, Kelly Rowland (vocals); Cedric The Entertainer, La La (spoken vocals); Luis Conte (percussion). Producers include: Waiel "Wally" Yagham, The Neptunes, Jason "Jay E" Epperson, The Trackboyz, Ryan Bowser. "Hot In Herre" won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rap Male Solo Performance. "Dilemma" (w/ Kelly Rowland) won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. NELLYVILLE was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Album Of The Year and Best Rap Album. "Dilemma" (w/ Kelly Rowland) was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Award for Record Of The Year. Personnel includes: Nelly, Murphy Lee, Justin Timberlake, King Jacob, Kelly Rowland, Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Dani Stevenson. Producers include: Jason "Jay E" Epperson, The Neptunes, Just Blaze, Waiel Yaghnam, Bam & Ryan Bowser. Principally recorded at The Hit Factory, Miami, Florida. "Hot In Herre" won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rap Male Solo Performance. "Dilemma" (w/ Kelly Rowland) won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. NELLYVILLE was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Album Of The Year and Best Rap Album. "Dilemma" (w/ Kelly Rowland) was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Award for Record Of The Year. Personnel: The Neptunes (vocals); Steve Eigner (guitar); Luis Conte (percussion). Audio Mixer: Richard Travali. Recording information: Basement Beats, St. Louis, MO; Right Track Recording, New York, NY; Stankonia Recording, Atlanta, GA; The Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, FL; The Village, LA. Photographer: Jonathan Mannion. NELLYVILLE could fairly be billed as its creator's coming-of-age album, with a sophisticated sheen that's a world and several million dollars away from its predecessor, the hugely successful COUNTRY GRAMMAR. Confidence and an undeniable musicality are the watchwords here, from the opening title track which is a both half-sung, half-rapped statement of first principles and a tour through the artist's psyche. The infectious club track "Hot in Herre" should bring fans and Nelly neophytes alike running with its old-school chorus, while the tight, steamy textures of "Pimp Juice" show Nelly as a master of insinuating vocalese. There are the usual guest appearances, notably from Justin Timberlake on the rap/pop crossover "Work It," where Timberlake's smooth vocals are expertly used to provide a cool, stylish counterpoint to Nelly's urgent rapping. Beanie Sigel guests on the remix of "Roc the Mic" while the take-no-prisoners stomp of "On the Grind" featuring King Jacob is a reminder, if any were necessary, that no matter how sophisticated his music gets, the streets of St. Louis will always be Nelly's spiritual home.