Nellyville [PA] (CD - 2002)

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.

Nelly's debut album, Country Grammar, was a left-field surprise smash hit, racking up a number of hits and turning the Midwestern pop-rapper into an overnight superstar. It's perhaps little surprise then that his follow-up, Nellyville, sticks to the script. Like Country Grammar, it's produced almost entirely by newcomer Jason "Jay E" Epperson, and it too relies on catchy, singalong hooks that are more pop than rap. Moreover, there are some clear, clever rewrites here, with "Pimp Juice" in particular relying on the same slow-grooving rhythm that made "Country Grammar" and "E.I." such jams two summers earlier. Nelly also retains his tough-guy posturing here -- he's no gangsta, nor is he an outright thug, but he is awfully damn cocky and a lot gruffer than your typical teen pop star. All of this makes Nellyville just as good as its predecessor. What makes it two or three notches better, however, are the few occasions where Nelly tries something new -- namely on "Hot in Herre," "Dilemma," and "Rock the Mic," three well-calculated, standout moments. The first is a trademark Neptunes production with an infectious hook, tailor-made for radio and club play; the second is a straight, saccharine interpolation of Patti LaBelle's 1983 hit "Love, Need and Want You" that features a duet with Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland, and is as likely to appeal to those who are old enough to know the original as those who are too young to realize how much of a straight cover this is; and the third is a remix of Beanie Sigel and Freeway's previously released hit for Roc-a-Fella, and is one of the only pure hip-hop moments here, and a welcome one at that. All of this amounts to a sure-fire pop-rap album that should not only please anyone who enjoyed Country Grammar; it should also attract yet more fans who will be drawn in by the few aforementioned standout moments of pop calculation. And that's not even mentioning the Justin Timberlake feature, which should be a draw in itself for many teen pop fans. ~ Jason Birchmeier

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.

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. minimize