Two decades after Nelly put St. Louis' hip-hop scene on the map, his breakthrough debut album has been digitally expanded by UMe.
A new 20th anniversary expansion of Nelly's Country Grammar is now available to stream and download, featuring the original album alongside four bonus tracks available digitally for the first time, including the soundtrack rarity "Icey"; "Come Over," a collaboration with Funkmaster Flex; and instrumental versions of the album's biggest hits, "Country Grammar" and "Ride Wit Me."
It was those two tunes that helped Country Grammar propel Nelly (born Cornell Hayes) to international success. His singsong flow and feel-good, soulful production from friend and collaborator Jason "Jay E" Epperson made for a powerful combination as "Country Grammar" and "Ride Wit Me" reached the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic in 2000 and 2001. In between that, the single "E.I." reached the Top 15 in the U.S. and the U.K. as well.
Country Grammar was, of course, just the beginning for Nelly, who notched a dozen Top 10 singles through 2013 as either a soloist or featured performer. These included chart-toppers "Hot In Herre," "Dilemma" (featuring Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child), "Shake Ya Tailfeather" (with hip-hop impresario P. Diddy and Murphy Lee) and "Grillz" (featuring Houston rapper Paul Wall, Ali of Nelly's St. Lunatics posse and Goodie Mob's Big Gipp), as well as duets with country stars Tim McGraw ("Over and Over") and Florida Georgia Line ("Cruise").
Nelly recently commemorated Country Grammar's two-decade mark with a performance of the full album on YouTube. The expanded album is now available to stream or download below.
Country Grammar: Deluxe Edition (Republic/UMe, 2020)
- Intro
- St. Louie
- Greed Hate Envy
- Country Grammar (Hot Shit)
- Steal The Show (feat. St. Lunatics)
- Interlude
- Ride Wit Me (feat. City Spud)
- E.I.
- Thicky Thick Girl
- For My (feat. Lil Wayne)
- Utha Side
- Tho Dem Wrappas
- Wrap Sumden
- Batter Up (feat. Murphy Lee & Ali)
- Never Let 'Em C U Sweat
- Luven Me
- Outro
- Icey *
- Come Over (feat. Funkmaster Flex) *
- Country Grammar (Instrumental) *
- Ride Wit Me (Instrumental) *
* bonus track / previously unreleased digitally
Tracks 1-17 originally released as Fo' Reel/Universal 012 157 743-2, 2000
Track 18 released on Bait: Music From and Inspired By The Motion Picture - Warner Bros./RuffNation 47859, 2000
Track 19 released on 60 Minutes Of Funk, Volume IV: The Mixtape - Loud 1961, 2000
Track 20 from "Country Grammar" 12" promo - Universal U8P-1672, 1999
Track 21 from "Ride Wit Me" 12" promo - Universal UNIR-20399-1, 2000
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