Grammy-winning, multiplatinum hip-hop artist, Nelly is coming to The Great Allentown Fair on Sept. 1 with special guest Chingy. Tickets go on sale, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m.
Nelly charged onto the hip-hop scene in the summer of 2000 with his groundbreaking debut album, Country Grammar. The critical acclaim, accolades, and awards rolled in as the album snagged four Grammy nominations, two for Best Rap Solo
Performance (“Ride Wit Me,” “Country Grammar”), Best Rap/Song Collaboration (“Where The Party At,” with Jagged Edge), and Best Rap Album (Country Grammar). Nelly also topped Billboard’s 2000 year-end chart as the Top Male Rap Artist, and he was nominated for two Source Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, two BET Awards, an American Music Award, and a Soul Train Music Award.
Two years later, in the summer of 2002, Nelly debuted his sophomore album Nellyville which entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 1. Boasting the popular favorite “Pimp Juice,” Nellyville went on to sell more than 6 million units and win two Grammy Awards for the ubiquitous hit singles “Hot In Herre” (Best Male Rap Solo) and “Dilemma,” featuring Kelly Rowland (Best Rap/Sung Collaboration). It also earned two American Music Awards, a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award, and two Soul Train Music Awards, in addition to pushing Nelly to No. 1 on Billboard’s 2002 year-end charts as the Top Pop, Rap, and R&B/Hip-Hop Artist.
Following the phenomenal success of 2000’s nine-time platinum Country Grammar and 2002’s six-time platinum Nellyville, Nelly released a platinum-selling remix album in 2003 called Da Derrty Versions (The Reinvention). That same year, Nelly contributed a track called “Shake Ya Tailfeather,” featuring Murphy Lee and P. Diddy, to the Bad Boys II soundtrack. An overnight sensation, “Shake Ya Tailfeather” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, scored a 2004 MTV Video Music Award (Best Hip-Hop Video), and won Nelly his third Grammy Award (Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group).
Nelly went on to release an additional five albums that included a powerful return to the Billboard charts with “Just a Dream” that soared to No. 1 on iTunes Top Hip-Hop/Rap Songs chart, No. 3 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard’s Digital Songs chart, and No. 4 on Billboard’s Pop Songs chart in 2010. And while “Just a Dream” became the hottest single at radio, the music video received more than 13 million views on VEVO.
Nelly’s latest country influenced album Heartland, dropped in the summer of 2021 and features guest appearances from Florida Georgia Line, Blanco Brown, Breland, Chris Bandi, City Spud, Darius Rucker, George Birge, Jimmie Allen and Kane Brown. His collaboration with Florida Georgia Line on “Lil Bit” received Diamond status and he is only one of seven rappers to reach this honor.
Ranked No. 3 on Billboard’s definitive list of the best-selling artists of the 2000s, Nelly has not only sold more than 30 million albums/singles in less than 10 years, but he also tied with Elton John for the most consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart by a male solo artist.
Joining Nelly on the Service Electric Stage is St. Louis rapper, Chingy who specializes in catchy, club-friendly beats and simplistic lyrics delivered in a sing-song, nursery rhyme style. Chingy’s 2003 debut album, Jackpot, sold 3 million copies, which included the hit single “Right Thurr.”
Tickets for Nelly with special guest Chingy are $59, $69 and $79 and go on sale to the public starting at 10 a.m. on Feb. 3. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and the fair’s Box Office. Special box office hours will be held Feb. 3 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Tickets are also available for Keith Urban on Sept. , Styx / REO Speedwagon on Aug. 30 and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line with special guest Matt Stell on Aug. 31. All show tickets include admission into the Fair.
For more information and upcoming show announcements, visit the fair’s website at www.allentownfairpa.org.