Editing Nelly (section)

=== 2004–2008: Continued success; ''Sweat'', ''Suit'', and ''Brass Knuckles'' ===
In February 2004, Nelly performed in the [[Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show]], his second time performing in a Super Bowl halftime show.

On September 14, 2004, he released two albums, ''[[Sweat (Nelly album)|Sweat]]'' and ''[[Suit (album)|Suit]]''. ''Suit'', an R&B-oriented album, debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' albums chart, and ''Sweat'', a rap-oriented album, debuted at number two. From ''Suit'', the slow [[ballad]] "[[Over and Over (Nelly song)|Over and Over]]", an unlikely [[duet (music)|duet]] with [[country music]] star [[Tim McGraw]], became a [[crossover music|crossover]] hit.<ref>{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Shaheem |title=Tim McGraw on Nelly Duet: 'Nothin' Country About The Song, But It Was Fun' |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1494556/tim-mcgraw-on-nelly-duet-nothin-country-about-the-song-but-it-was-fun/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140801231035/http://www.mtv.com/news/1494556/tim-mcgraw-on-nelly-duet-nothin-country-about-the-song-but-it-was-fun/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 1, 2014 |work=MTV News |date=2004-12-06 |access-date=2022-05-24}}</ref> On the 2004 [[NBC]] television concert special ''Tim McGraw: Here and Now'', McGraw and Nelly performed the song.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Barrett |first=Annie |title=Television Commentary – Wednesday |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,784934,00.html |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=2004-11-26 |issue=794 |access-date=April 27, 2008 |archive-date=March 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301154141/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,784934,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> A feud with another St. Louis-based rapper, [[Chingy]], emerged at the end of 2004.<ref>{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Shaheem |title=Chingy Fires Back at Nelly And Luda, Drops New Dis Track |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1495444/chingy-fires-back-at-nelly-and-luda-drops-new-dis-track/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210074431/http://www.mtv.com/news/1495444/chingy-fires-back-at-nelly-and-luda-drops-new-dis-track/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 10, 2015|work=MTV News |date=2005-01-07 |access-date=2022-05-25}}</ref> ''Tsunami Aid: A Concert for Hope'', a [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake]] benefit concert special produced by NBC, featured Nelly.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rashbaum |first=Alyssa |title=Nelly, Maroon 5, Madonna, Mary J. Blige Join Tsunami Benefit Show |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1495698/nelly-maroon-5-madonna-mary-j-blige-join-tsunami-benefit-show/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140901024427/http://www.mtv.com/news/1495698/nelly-maroon-5-madonna-mary-j-blige-join-tsunami-benefit-show/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 1, 2014 |work=MTV News |date=2005-01-11 |access-date=2022-05-25}}</ref> In the winter of 2005 came ''[[Sweatsuit (album)|Sweatsuit]]'', a compilation of tracks from ''Sweat'' and ''Suit'' with three new tracks. "[[Grillz]]", produced by [[Jermaine Dupri]], was a number-one hit. To date both albums have sold over 5 million units in the United States.

''[[Brass Knuckles (album)|Brass Knuckles]]'' was released on September 16, 2008, after several delays.<ref name="lines up">{{cite news |last=Rodriguez |first=Jayson |title=Nelly Lines up Usher, Fergie and Akon for Brass Knuckles – but No Bruce Springsteen |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1584680/nelly-lines-up-usher-fergie-and-akon-for-brass-knuckles-but-no-bruce-springsteen/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016231841/http://www.mtv.com/news/1584680/nelly-lines-up-usher-fergie-and-akon-for-brass-knuckles-but-no-bruce-springsteen/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 16, 2015 |work=MTV News |date=2008-04-02 |access-date=2022-05-25}}</ref> Initial release dates for the album were October 16<ref name="guestlist">{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Shaheem |title=T.I., Akon, Snoop, Pimp C Get Behind Nelly's ''Brass Knuckles'' |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1567667/ti-akon-snoop-pimp-c-get-behind-nellys-brass-knuckles/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204020415/http://www.mtv.com/news/1567667/ti-akon-snoop-pimp-c-get-behind-nellys-brass-knuckles/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 4, 2014 |work=MTV News |date=2007-08-22 |access-date=2022-05-26}}</ref> and November 13.<ref name="usa">{{cite news |last1=Bowles |first1=Scott |last2=Jones |first2=Steve |last3=Johnson |first3=Pete and Pete Johnson |title=Coming attractions: Nelly's ready to crack his 'Knuckles' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/2007-09-06-coming-attractions_N.htm/ |work=USA Today |date=2007-09-06 |access-date=2007-09-09}}</ref> Its original lead single was "[[Wadsyaname]]", a ballad-oriented track produced by [[Ron "NEFF-U" Feemstar]] and sampling the piano riff from "[[All My Life (K-Ci & JoJo song)|All My Life]]" by [[K-Ci & JoJo]].<ref name="guestlist" /><ref name="usa" /> Nelly later confirmed that "Wadsyaname" was never going to be on ''Brass Knuckles''. He recorded "[[Party People (Nelly song)|Party People]]",<ref name="guestlist" /> featuring [[Fergie (singer)|Fergie]] and produced by [[Polow da Don]], which turned out to be his first official single off the album.<ref name="lines up" /> "[[Stepped on My J'z]]" was the next single, produced by [[Jermaine Dupri]]; it features Dupri and [[Ciara]]. Next was "[[Body on Me (Nelly song)|Body on Me]]", produced by [[Akon]] which features Akon and [[Ashanti (entertainer)|Ashanti]]. Nelly appeared on [[Rick Ross]]'s third single, "[[Here I Am (Rick Ross song)|Here I Am]]" featuring label mate [[Avery Storm]].