Atlanta – Cornel “Nelly” Haynes Jr. leans on a 1940 Chevrolet Master Deluxe. He takes a long pull from a Gurkah cigar and exhales a slow and steady stream of smoke. His relaxed demeanor doesn’t match that of a man concerned about his future as an elite rap artist; he seems relatively unaffected and completely at ease. Similar to the classic Chevrolet Master Deluxe, Nelly has been tested over the years and he’s confident that his value as an artist simply isn‘t in question as he prepares to release his new album, 5.0.
Dressed in a denim Dolce & Gabbana suit for the first look of his rolling out cover shoot, Nelly invokes the image of the infamous American bank robber and gangster John Dillinger, posing with a cool confidence that easily dismisses ideas that he’s been fazed by industry gossip of a possible flop.
By selling 20 million records, Nelly reached the pinnacle of hip-hop success in the early part of the decade; however, nearly 10 years later, some question the relevance of the St. Louis-born rapper in today’s ever-changing hip-hop industry.
But every great American story has a compelling second act. This is Nelly’s moment to script a return to grace. Call it a comeback.
“You have to understand what a career is,” Nelly says while sitting in the driver’s seat of the Master Deluxe. “You can’t be considered a legend without a comeback. My grandfather was a devout boxing fan. He told me that Muhammad Ali isn’t the greatest because he’s undefeated. Ali had five or six losses during his career, but he was able to avenge every one of those losses. I always keep that in the back of my mind.”
Poor reviews for Nelly’s last album, Brass Knuckles, stemmed from the lack of strong hit singles that pushed Country Grammar, Nellyville, and the double album Sweatsuit into multiplatinum status. But by selling gold (500,000 units), Brass Knuckles was still one of the highest selling rap albums in 2008.
