NEW YORK, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Universal Motown Records) -
Superstar NELLY releases BRASS KNUCKLES, his fifth studio album on Tuesday,
September 16, 2008 on Derrty ENT./Universal Motown Records. The rapper/actor/entrepreneur also kicks off his tour titled, "The Story of Brass Knuckles" today in Los Angeles.
The St. Louis native's career album sales exceed 30 million, nevertheless he approached BRASS KNUCKLES with the same hunger, ambition and creativity that fired his first four multi-platinum projects. NELLY left nothing to chance with this new collection, commenting: "Nobody's going to give you anything, you got to work hard for what you want. You got to continue to press." Joining him to do the derrty work of BRASS KNUCKLES is an A-list slate of collaborators, including Usher, Pharrell, Akon, Ciara, Chuck D, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Ashanti, St. Lunatics and Derrty ENT's up and coming R&B singer Avery Storm.
BRASS KNUCKLES' hit single "Body On Me" continues to climbs radio and video charts. The infectious song featuring Akon and Ashanti maintains its upward momentum at Rhythmic/Crossover radio moving up through Top 10. The sumptuous video clip, portraying the good life in Las Vegas with friends and entourage, has generated over 6 million YouTube.com views and is the Top 5 video on 106 & Park's countdown.
Other album highlights include the romantic "Long Night," featuring Usher, "Self-Esteem," a take pride in who you are song that co-stars Public Enemy hip-hop game-changer Chuck D, and "Let It Go," with the Neptunes' Pharrell. The album also includes its debut single, "Party People" featuring Pop Diva Fergie. Party People's video is too a YouTube smash hit with 9 million-plus views.
The three-time Grammy and six-time Billboard Award winner's previous studio project, the unique double release Sweat and Suit, sold six million copies, and made NELLY the first solo artist in history to simultaneously make album chart entries at No. 1 and No. 2. His Grammy-winning hits "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma" were consecutive No.1s, with 17 unbroken weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. NELLY starred in the remake of The Longest Yard and was also executive producer of the multi-platinum soundtrack album.
NELLY is CEO of the label he founded, Derrty Entertainment, and has launched two successful clothing labels, Apple Bottoms (the No. 2 junior apparel line in the U.S.) and Vokal, as well as the all-natural energy drink Pimp Juice. He is a co-owner of the NBA expansion team the Charlotte Bobcats, and recently opened Skybox, a St. Louis sports bar.
A committed philanthropist, NELLY has founded two charitable organizations, 4 Sho 4 Kids, (www.4sho4kids.org) dedicated to improving the quality of life for children born with developmental disabilities (emphasis on Down's syndrome) and those born addicted to drugs; and Jes Us 4 Jackie, (www.jesus4jackie.com), launched to educate African-Americans about the need for bone marrow and stem cell transplant donations. Though the organization's namesake, NELLY's beloved sister Jackie, who passed in 2005, the organization's continued efforts have saved eight lives so far through donor matches.
Watch NELLY this week on national television shows, - NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno on September 16th, The Ellen DeGeneres Show on September 18th, and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live on September 22nd. The rapper is also kicking off a three-week series of live dates, "The Story of Brass Knuckles Tour," hitting both coasts beginning tonight in Los Angeles.
THE STORY OF BRASS KNUCKLES TOUR
Date - City - Venue
Sep 22nd Dallas House of Blues
Sep 23rd Houston Warehouse Live
Sep 25th Ft. Lauderdale Revolution
Sep 27th Myrtle Beach House Of Blues
Sep 29th Richmond Toads
Sep 30th Baltimore Ram's Head
Oct 1st New York City Nokia
Oct 3rd Washington, DC Love
Oct 4th Atlantic City House of Blues
Oct 7th Chicago House of Blues
Oct 8th Minneapolis Myth
