Nelly

One of the few Mid-west rappers, Nelly's countrified style put home town St. Louis on the map as he achieved huge international fame. Forming the collective St. Lunatics in 1993, regional hits Gimme What U Got and Thug Love For The Homiez failed to gain the national attention that he craved, so he decided to go solo in 1999. Wearing a sticky plaster on his face as a tribute to his jailed brother, a mix of bad boy, gangsta swagger and smooth pop melodies sent his first two albums Country Grammer (2000) and Nellyville (2002) sailing to Number 1 in the US. As chart-topping singles Hot In Herre, Dilemma (featuring Kelly Rowland) and Shake Ya Tailfeather rained in, Nelly quickly became a savvy entrepreneur, releasing his own clothing lines, energy drink and trainers while buying a stake in the NBA basketball team Charlotte Bobcats. Dabbling with acting in CSI:NY and Hollywood movie The Longest Yard, fourth album Suit (2004) provided the UK Number 1 singles My Place and Over And Over.