Editing Nelly (section)

=== 2000–2003: Breakthrough with ''Country Grammar'' and ''Nellyville'' ===
The label released his debut album, ''[[Country Grammar]]'', in 2000. The success of [[Country Grammar (Hot Shit)|its title track]] as a single, reaching number 7 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 Hot Rap Tracks, led to the album debuting at number three in the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] in the U.S. Other singles from the album included "[[E.I. (song)|E.I.]]"; "[[Ride wit Me]]", featuring [[City Spud]]; and "[[Batter Up (St. Lunatics song)|Batter Up]]", featuring the St. Lunatics.<ref name="all music" /> The album was certified 9× platinum by the RIAA in April 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Country%20Grammar&artist=Nelly&format=ALBUM&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=CertificationDate&perPage=50 |title=Gold & Platinum – Country Grammar (album) |publisher=RIAA |access-date=2009-07-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016231837/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Country%20Grammar&artist=Nelly&format=ALBUM&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=CertificationDate&perPage=50 |archive-date=October 16, 2015 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In January 2001, Nelly performed as a special guest in the [[Super Bowl XXXV]] halftime show.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The most memorable Super Bowl halftime shows |url=https://ew.com/gallery/super-bowl-memorable-halftime-shows/?slide=421911#421911 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly  |access-date=1 December 2020  |date=2 February 2009}}</ref>

In 2002, Nelly's second album, ''[[Nellyville]]'', was released, debuting at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 Music Albums.<ref name='Billboard Top 200 2002-07-13'>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2002-07-13/billboard-200 |title=Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts |access-date=2009-08-14 |date=2002-07-13 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Its lead single "[[Hot in Herre]]" was a number-one hit. Other singles included "[[Dilemma (Nelly song)|Dilemma]]", which featured [[Kelly Rowland]] and sold over 7.6 million records worldwide,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.napolitoday.it/eventi/concerti/kelly-rowland-arenile-bagnoli-12-settembre-2010.html |title=Kelly Rowland live in Napoli 2010 |work=NapoliToday |date=August 25, 2010 |access-date=February 11, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208140052/http://www.napolitoday.it/eventi/concerti/kelly-rowland-arenile-bagnoli-12-settembre-2010.html |archive-date=February 8, 2015 }}{{cite web|url=http://it.amolamusica.com/news/kelly-rowland-ft-big-sean-lay-it-on-me-e-il-nuovo-singolo/ |title=Kelly Rowland annuncia l'uscita del singolo Lay It On Me, già record di visualizzazioni su Youtube |work=Io Amo La Musica Magazine |date=July 29, 2011 |access-date=February 11, 2015 |first=Luca |last=Triptico }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''(in Italian)''</ref> "Work It" featuring [[Justin Timberlake]], "[[Air Force Ones (song)|Air Force Ones]]" featuring [[Murphy Lee]] and the [[St. Lunatics]], "[[Pimp Juice]]", and "#1".<ref name="all music" /> This album was highly successful and was certified 6x multi-platinum in June 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Nellyville&artist=Nelly&format=ALBUM&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=CertificationDate&perPage=50 |title=Gold & Platinum – Nellyville |publisher=RIAA |access-date=2009-07-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016231837/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Nellyville&artist=Nelly&format=ALBUM&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=CertificationDate&perPage=50 |archive-date=October 16, 2015 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> "Hot in Herre" won the [[Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo Performance]] in 2003.<ref name="grammy">{{cite web |title=Nelly – Grammy Awards |url={{AllMusic |class=artist |id=p416191/charts-awards/grammy-awards|pure_url=yes}}|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=2008-04-26}}</ref>

In 2003, Nelly released ''[[Da Derrty Versions: The Reinvention]]'', which featured the hit single "[[Iz U]]" from the soundtrack to [[Walt Disney]]'s ''[[The Haunted Mansion (2003 film)|The Haunted Mansion]]''. The music video of a [[Tip Drill (song)|Tip Drill Remix]] became a source of controversy due to perceptions of [[misogyny|misogynistic]] depictions of women. The controversy forced him to cancel an appearance at a [[bone marrow]] drive at [[Spelman College]], a [[historically black college]] in [[Atlanta]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Arce |first=Rose |title=Hip-hop portrayal of women protested |url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/03/hip.hop/index.html |work=CNN|date=2005-03-03 |access-date=2008-04-26}}</ref> Similar claims of misogyny surrounded his single "[[Pimp Juice]]".<ref>{{cite news |last=D'Angelo |first=Joe |title=Nelly's Pimp Juice Threatened By Anti-Pimp Campaign |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1478075/nellys-pimp-juice-threatened-by-anti-pimp-campaign/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806201105/http://www.mtv.com/news/1478075/nellys-pimp-juice-threatened-by-anti-pimp-campaign/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 6, 2014 |work=MTV News |date=2003-09-10 |access-date=2022-05-24}}</ref> RIAA has certified the album as Platinum. For the ''[[Bad Boys II (soundtrack)|Bad Boys II]]'' soundtrack album, Nelly contributed the single "[[Shake Ya Tailfeather]]" featuring [[Sean Combs|Diddy]] and [[Murphy Lee]]. Another number-one hit, "Shake Ya Tailfeather", won the 2004 [[Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group]].<ref name="grammy" />