NEW YORK (Universal/Motown Records) - Three-time Grammy Award-winning superstar
Nelly will make musical history on
September 14th when he simultaneously releases two new albums entitled Sweat and Suit. While he joins Bruce Springstein and Guns'n'Roses, who have also released two albums on the same day,
Nelly becomes the first rapper to join their exclusive ranks.
Conceptually and creatively, Sweat and Suit showcase the multi-platinum St. Louis native's diverse musical styles. "I had so much material that at first I thought about releasing a double CD, but then I thought it would be better to release two albums separately to show fans the best of both sides of 'Nellyville,'" says Nelly.
In describing how the two albums are different, he characterizes Sweat as having more "up-tempo club bangers that are more street-oriented songs like 'Hot In Herre,' 'Air Force Ones' or '#1,'" while Suit is more "'grown and sexy,' along the lines of 'Dilemma' or "Ride Wit Me.'" Both albums showcase Nelly's trademark melodic lyrical style that gives him a broad-based appeal. "When I first came out I was representing my city hard, now I'm trying to explain so much more. I think both albums show my growth creatively and personally," he adds.
"Flap Your Wings" is the set-up single from Sweat, and Time magazine says, "word has it that this Neptunes' produced track is in the same vein as Country Grammar and Hot In Herre, the rapper's previous summer hits." The lead single for Suit is "My Place" featuring the R&B singer Jaheim- who Nelly calls "the Teddy of our generation." In fact, "My Place" is a re-working of the Teddy Pendergrass' classic, "Come On And Go With Me."
As part of an innovative campaign to cross-promote the two albums at once, Universal Records plans an aggressive organic, street-oriented campaign for Sweat, leading off with "Flap Your Wings" and a more traditional set-up for Suit with "My Place."
Nelly first came to national attention when he released his 9x platinum-selling 2000 debut Country Grammar. In 2001, as a member of the St. Lunatics (which includes fellow group member Murphy Lee), Universal Records released the group's platinum-certified debut Free City.
The next year, he released his 6x platinum-certified sophomore album, Nellyville followed by the platinum-certified re-mix album, Da Derrty Versions in 2003. Cumulatively, Nelly has sold close to 30 million singles/albums worldwide establishing him as one today's top-selling artists.
Sweat and Suit will be his third and fourth studio albums respectively.
