Nelly performs onstage at Juneteenth: A Global Celebration For Freedom at The Greek Theatre on June 19, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images.
Nelly Becomes Latest Rapper to Sell Half His Catalog to the Tune of Nearly $50M
St. Louis rap icon Nelly has sold half of his song catalog to investment firm HarbourView Equity Partners, including hits “Ride Wit Me,” “Hot In Herre” and "Dilemma.”
Nelly becomes the latest hip-hop act to sell assets of his hit-making catalog. On Wednesday (July 5), TMZ shared that the St. Louis artist secured $50 million from selling half his catalog to investment firm HarbourView Equity Partners. The deal includes the sell of eight of Nelly’s albums, along with his classic singles “Dilemma,” “Hot In Herre,” “Ride Wit Me” and more. HarbourView is owned by Sherrese Clarke Soares and the company has also bought catalogs from country and rock acts like Lady A, Brad Paisley and Incubus in recent years.
"As artists, we put our heart and soul into each track and there comes a time when you consider preservation of that artistry. My music is my legacy which I want to last beyond me, continuing to make my existing fans happy while reaching new generations and new audiences,” Nelly said in a statement, per Variety.
The “Shake Ya Tailfeather” rapper added that he was "excited to partner with HarbourView to create opportunities for discovery of my music decades from now."
“This catalog has made an incredible impact on generations of fans. Works such as, ‘Hot in Herre’ and ‘Shake Ya Tailfeather’ defined an era of music of a unique blend of hip-hop, R&B, and country music that is undeniable,” Soares said. “We are thrilled to add these influential pieces to our repertoire and work with the team to continue supporting the artistry within our ecosystem.”
Over the course of his career, Nelly earned three Grammy Awards and collaborated with Janet Jackson, NSYNC, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Pharrell Williams and more. In 2021, he released his eighth studio album, the country-themed Heartland with guest appearances from Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, Kane Brown, and the now-disgraced Jimmie Allen. To commemorate Juneteenth, Nelly performed during CNN’s concert special with R&B and pop artist Chlöe.
