ST. LOUIS _ "I'm going down, down, baby, your street in a Range Rover. Street sweeper, baby, cocked, ready to let it go."
That's how it went down in the year 2000, when a young rapper from St. Louis introduced us to his "Country Grammar."
In doing so, Nelly, also known as Cornell Haynes, took the music world by storm with his immediately infectious sing-songy hip-hop style. His album made its way up the charts, landing at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Hits such as "E.I.," "Ride Wit Me," "Batter Up" and the title track helped sell over 10 million albums as he showed the world that big hip-hop can actually come out of St. Louis. (A documentary titled "Background Check" showed there was St. Louis hip-hop long before Nelly, though he certainly took it to the next level.)
The album turns 20 on June 27, and it's a special time to look back at the music that put St. Louis hip-hop on the map and opened doors for Chingy, J-Kwon, Huey, Nelly's own St. Lunatics and others.
Nelly recently announced that he will recognize this milestone by performing "Country Grammar" at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, on June 13 (the prestigious music festival is June 11-14). He should keep the "Country Grammar" anniversary momentum going, and there are so many ways this could happen.
_ The Grammys are coming up fast (Jan. 26), and Nelly's a three-time Grammy winner for "Dilemma," "Hot in Herre" and "Shake Ya Tailfeather," as well as a past Grammy performer. He could appear on the telecast to present an award, and his co-presenter could make special mention of the album's anniversary. The Grammys could also give the record-breaking rapper a throwback performance slot.
_ After Bonnaroo, Nelly could go on a "Country Grammar 20th Anniversary" tour in which he opens the show performing the album from top to bottom during the first set followed by non-"Country Grammar" hits such as "Dilemma," "Just a Dream," "Over and Over," "Grillz," "Hot in Herre," "Air Force Ones" and "My Place" during the second half. The tour should either start or end in St. Louis and should include another festival stop at Lollapalooza in Chicago.
_ A number of big rappers including Drake, J. Cole, Jay Z, Lil Wayne, the Roots, Chance the Rapper, Travis Scott and Tyler, the Creator are among those to head up their own music festivals. Wouldn't it be great if Nelly had his own summer outdoor music festival that took place in St. Louis, full of guest stars who've performed with him over time? That could include Jermaine Dupri ("Stepped on My J's"), Kelly Rowland ("Dilemma"), Jaheim ("My Place"), Paul Wall, Ali and Gipp ("Grillz") and Florida Georgia Line ("Cruise" remix) to name a few. Tim McGraw would be a super get. And we can also see Lil Nas X making an appearance. After all, Nelly paved the way for Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" long ago with his Tim McGraw-assisted "Over and Over," followed by his success with Florida Georgia Line.
_ Another idea for a festival might be for Nelly to highlight rising St. Louis rappers. That could incorporate rapper Smino (now living in Chicago). Nelly was a surprise guest during Smino's sold-out show at the Pageant in December. The pool Nelly could choose from is deep.
_ Drop a free "Country Grammar" concert as a Fair St. Louis headliner on the Gateway Arch grounds.
_ Piggy-backing off the popularity of Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," Nelly could easily go back into the hip-hop country thing. He could release a hip-hop country version of "Country Grammar" songs with new production. He'd been talking about doing more in the country genre years ago. Now is the time.
_ Chance the Rapper, Cardi B and T.I. were the inaugural judges of the great new Netflix music competition show "Rhythm + Flow." For the second season, we can easily see T.I. swapped out for Nelly in that veteran judge slot. We also think he'd make for a good judge on "America's Got Talent," where there seem to be openings all the time.
_ Don't smirk, but "Dancing With the Stars" would be a highly visible space for Nelly during this anniversary year, giving him a huge platform. And we have no doubt Nelly's got the moves to go far on the show.
_ Release a special edition of "Country Grammar," remastered and expanded with outtakes, remixes, etc.
_ The first season of AMC's "Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America" included "Jesus Walks," "Alright," "Rock Box," "Elevators," "The Bridge" and "Ladies First." The song "Country Grammar" easily qualifies as a song that shook America.
_ Surprise-drop a new album of new music showing what he's up to these days.
20 big albums turning 20 in 2020
"All That You Can't Leave Behind," U2
After its divisive predecessor, "Pop," this album was so big it won major Grammy awards over the course of two years.
Release: Oct. 30, 2000
Singles: "Beautiful Day," "Elevation," "Walk On," "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of"
The Billboard 200: No. 3
Sales: Over 4 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Rock Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Beautiful Day" (wins); also Record of the Year for "Walk On," Rock Performance by a Duo of Group with Vocal for "Elevation," Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Win for "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" and Best Rock Album (wins); Album of the Year, Song of the Year for "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," Best Rock Song for "Elevation" and Best Rock Song for "Walk On" (nominations)
"Can't Take Me Home," Pink
Before she exploded as a pop-rock queen with "Get This Party Started," Pink was every bit the budding R&B singer produced by "Real Housewife" Kandi Burruss.
Release: April 4, 2000
Singles: "There You Go," "You Make Me Sick," "Most Girls"
The Billboard 200: No. 26
Sales: Over 2 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: None
"The Dynasty: Roc La Familia," Jay-Z
Jay-Z went for more soulful productions en route to this album with songs from Kanye West, the Neptunes and Just Blaze, serving as a bit of a blueprint for his next and greatest album, "The Blueprint." "The Dynasty" includes one of his more ill-fated collaborations with R. Kelly.
Release: Oct. 31, 2000
Singles: "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)," "Change the Game," "Guilty Until Proven Innocent"
The Billboard 200: No. 1
Sales: Over 2 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group for "Change the Game" (nomination)
"Who is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1," Jill Scott
Scott established herself as a new soul force to be reckoned with right out the box.
Release: July 18, 2000
Singles: "Gettin' in the Way," "A Long Walk," "The Way"
The Billboard 200: No. 17
Sales: Over 2 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best New Artist, R&B Album, Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Gettin' in the Way" and "A Long Walk (nominations, with the latter two in concurrent years)
"Country Grammar," Nelly
Nelly casts the biggest spotlight ever on St. Louis-honed hip-hop.
Release: June 27, 2000
Singles: "Country Grammar," "E.I.", "Ride Wit Me," "Batter Up"
The Billboard 200: No. 1
Sales: Over 10 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: None
"Voodoo," D'Angelo
The soul singer's second album put him over the top _ with the help of a particularly revealing video.
Release: Jan. 25, 2000
Singles: "Untitled (How Does It Feel)," "Devil's Pie," "Send It On," "Feel Like Makin' Love"
The Billboard 200: No. 1
Sales: Over 1 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best R&B album, Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" (wins); and R&B Song for "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" (nomination)
"No Strings Attached," 'N Sync
A true pop juggernaut of an album that was hard to stop.
Release: March 21, 2000
Singles: "Bye Bye Bye," "It's Gonna Be Me," "This I Promise You"
The Billboard 200: No. 1
Sales: Over 11 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Record of the Year and Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Bye Bye Bye," Pop Vocal Album (nominations)
"Two Against Nature," Steely Dan
Back when veteran acts used to catch a break in the sales and awards arenas ...
Release: Feb. 29, 2000
Singles: "Cousin Dupree," "Janie Runaway"
The Billboard 200: No. 6
Sales: Over 1 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Album of the Year, Pop Vocal Album, Pop Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (wins)
"The Marshall Mathers LP," Eminem
A bonafide blockbuster for Eminem, controversies notwithstanding.
Release: May 23, 2000
Singles: "The Real Slim Shady," "Stan," "The Way I Am"
The Billboard 200: No. 1
Sales: Over 10 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best Rap Album, Rap Solo Performance for "The Real Slim Shady" (wins); Album of the Year (nomination)
"Stankonia," Outkast
"Stankonia" was the perfect filling between "Aquemini" and "Speakerboxxx"/"The Love Below."
Release: Oct. 31, 2000
Singles: "So Fresh, So Clean," "Ms. Jackson," "B.O.B."
The Billboard 200: No. 2
Sales: Over 4 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group for "Ms. Jackson" (wins); Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Short Form Music Video for "Ms. Jackson" (nominations)
"Return of Saturn," No Doubt
A comedown from "Tragic Kingdom" that nonetheless delivered a few bonafide hits.
Release: April 11, 2000
Singles: "Ex-Girlfriend," "Simple Kind of Life," "Bathwater"
The Billboard 200: No. 2
Sales: Over 1 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best Rock Album (nomination)
"Rascal Flatts," Rascal Flatts
The country band will celebrate its 20th anniversary and its farewell in one fell swoop this summer.
Release: June 6, 2000
Singles: "This Everyday Love," "While You Loved Me," "Prayin' for Daylight"
Sales: Over 2 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: None
"Parachutes," Coldplay
The album that introduced Coldplay to the world.
Release: July 10, 2000
Singles: "Yellow," "Shiver," "Trouble," "Don't Panic"
The Billboard 200: No. 51
Sales: Over 2 million copies sold
Grammys: Best Alternative Music Album (win); Best Rock Performance by Duo or Group with Vocal for "Yellow" (nomination)
"Oops! ... I Did It Again," Britney Spears
Britney Spears' "Oops" was her best mistake ever.
Release: May 16, 2000
Singles: "Oops! ... I Did It Again," "Stronger," "Lucky"
The Billboard 200: No. 1
Sales: Over 10 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal and Female Pop Vocal performance for "Oops! ... I Did It Again" (nominations)
"O Brother Where Art Thou?" Various Artists
Who says bluegrass and Americana can't rock the music world?
Release: Dec. 5, 2000
Singles: "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow"
The Billboard 200: No. 1
Sales: Over 8 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Album of the Year, Best Compilation Soundtrack Album, Producer of the Year for T Bone Burnett, Best Male Country Performance for Ralph Stanley for "Oh, Death" and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys (wins)
"Music," Madonna
This strong follow-up to her "Ray of Light" continued Madonna's commercial and artistic shine.
Release: Sept. 18, 2000
Singles: "Music," "What It Feels Like for a Girl," "Don't Tell Me"
The Billboard 200: No. 1
Sales: 3 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best Recording Package (win); Best Pop Vocal Album, Record of the Year and Female Pop Vocal for "Music," Best Short Form Music Video for "Don't Tell Me" (nominations)
"Mama's Gun," Erykah Badu
There was definitely no sophomore slump here for Badu at her best.
Release: Nov. 21, 2000
Singles: "Bag Lady," "Didn't Cha Know," "Cleva"
The Billboard 200: No. 11
Sales: Over 1 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song for "Bag Lady" and Best R&B Song for "Didn't Cha Know" (nominations in concurrent years for the latter two)
"Binaural," Pearl Jam
A widely perceived miss from the grunge band but nothing from which it couldn't recover.
Release date: May 16, 2000
Singles: "Nothing As It Seems," "Light Years"
The Billboard 200: No. 2
Sales: Over 500,000 copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best Hard Rock Performance for "Grievance" (nomination)
"Lovers Rock," Sade
The elusive Sade Adu and her band Sade returned with another winner.
Release: Nov. 13, 2000
Singles: "King of Sorrow," "Lovers Rock"
The Billboard 200: No. 3
Sales: Over 3 million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Pop Vocal Album (win); Female Pop Vocal Performance for "By Your Side" (nomination)
"Kid A," Radiohead
Despite an anti-publicity campaign, the English rock band still wound up with a lauded, top-selling album.
Release: Oct. 2, 2000
Singles: No singles
The Billboard 200: No. 1
Sales: Over a million copies sold
Grammy recognition: Best Alternative Album (win); Album of the Year (nomination)
Some other albums released in 2000
"Machina/The Machines of Gods," Smashing Pumpkins
"Like Water for Chocolate," Common
"Back for the First Time," Ludacris
"I Hope You Dance," Lee Ann Womack
"Warning," Green Day
"The Notorious K.I.M.," Lil Kim
"Bridging the Gap," Black Eyed Peas
"Real Live Woman," Trisha Yearwood
"Rated R," Queens of the Stone Age
"J.E. Heartbreak," Jagged Edge
"Supreme Clientele," Ghostface Killah
"Born to Do It," Craig David
