Hiphop-Artist Nelly Releases Country Inspired Album
“Heartland”, the much talked about and highly anticipated culmination of country-inspired music from Grammy Winning, Global Entertainer- Nelly, featuring some of his biggest Country artist friends like Florida Georgia Line, Kane Brown, Darius Rucker, Jimmie Allen, Breland and Blanco Brown, has dropped via Records/Columbia. “Heartland” celebrates Nelly as the genre-transcending music icon he is, trailblazing the intersections of country and hip hop.
Including the already wildly successful, swiftly approaching double platinum-certified single “Lil Bit” featuring Florida Georgia Line and his newest single “High Horse,” featuring Blanco Brown and Breland, “Heartland” showcases Nelly’s love of country music combined with Nelly flair and his unique rap style.
“I have too much respect for country music and country artists to call this a country album or suddenly decide Nelly is going country! I had country influences growing up and this album fuses country style with Nelly style and I think what we have is music that brings people together with their love of music.”
St. Louis is situated in the heart of the Heartland, and for twenty-one years, Nelly has been responsible for driving up the region’s heart rate with his celebratory bangers like “Country Grammar,” “Ride Wit Me,” “Hot in Herre,” “Over and Over” with Tim McGraw, “Cruise” with FGL and the near double platinum-certified, “Lil Bit” featuring FGL.
“The “Heartland” album and its title is a nod to the people from the heartland where I’m from. They work hard, they party hard, they love all types of music and they support Nelly accepting me doing what I love to do- crossing over music boundaries and genres to create good music. “Heartland” is inspired by country music, my friends in country music all with a Nelly spin on it.” says Nelly, while he further explains “It’s my appreciation for country music, my thanks to country music for allowing Nelly to be a part of it.”
Nelly’s lyrics from the upcoming song “Country Boys Do”, featuring Tyler Hubbard just about sums up his fun-loving relationship to Nashville.
I’m cranking hits up in Nashville
Nelly
So many I see why they call it smashville
Another one ima call it cashville
Ya headbangers you gonna need some Advil
Nelly’s career strings together a series of firsts like being certified a double diamond artist, he was the first hip hop artist to cross over into country when he collaborated with country star, Tim McGraw, Nelly has graced the top spots on multiple charts including Rap, RnB, Pop, Country and top 40, he performed twice at Super Bowl, he performed his hip hop hits with multiple symphonies, has been labelled one of the best ever rappers, one of the highest-grossing artists, his hit song “Dilemma” just hit one billion streams on YouTube.
Nelly has had huge success in both Hip Hop and Country including his initial country collaboration with Tim McGraw in 2004 with “Over and Over,” to his Diamond certified success on Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise,” Jimmie Allen’s “Good Times Roll,” Kane Brown’s remix of “Cool Again,” his own remake of Thomas Rhett’s Die A Happy Man. Nelly recently reunited with country music heavyweights Florida Georgia Line for his latest newly platinum-certified single “Lil Bit” out now via Records/Columbia, and on the “Heartland” album.
“Heartland” Track Listing:
1. “Lil Bit” ft/ Florida Georgia Line
2. “High Horse” f/ Breland and Blanco Brown
3. “Grits and Glamour” f/ Kane Brown
4. “Ms. Drive Me Crazy” f/ Darius Rucker & City Spud
5. “Country Boy Do” f/ Tyler Hubbard
6. “Someone Somewhere” f/ George Birge
7. “Five Drinks Ago”
8. “Follow Me” f/ Chris Bandi
9. “Good Times Roll” (Jimmie Allen f/Nelly
