BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A Grammy Award-winning, multiplatinum hip-hop artist will play a headline show at Musikfest in August, it was announced Monday.
Nelly, best known for his hits "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma" (with Kelly Rowland), will perform on Aug. 6.
Tickets, at $39-$129, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 13 at the Musikfest website or at the box office at 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem.ArtsQuest release
Tickets, at $39-$129, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at the Musikfest website or at the box office at 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem.
Nelly is the fourth headliner announced for Musikfest’s 42nd year, following announcements of country singer Riley Green performing Aug. 1, Americana rock band The Avett Brothers on Aug. 2 and country singer Darius Rucker on Aug. 3.
Tickets for all of those remain available.
It is the earliest time in Musikfest's history that four headliners have been announced.
The announcement means people can buy tickets in time for Christmas presents, and purchase them at the box office at ArtsQuest Center during ArtsQuest’s Christkindlmarkt, Thursdays-Sundays through Dec. 22 at SteelStacks.
Musikfest will run Aug. 1-10, with a preview night July 31, in downtown Bethlehem and the SteelStacks campus in South Bethlehem.
A best-selling artist of the 2000s
Nelly is ranked No. 3 on Billboard’s definitive list of the best-selling artists of the 2000s, having sold more than 30 million albums and singles in less than 10 years.
He also ranks as the fourth-best-selling hip hop artist in American music history according to the RIAA with 21 million albums sold in the United States.
And he tied with Elton John for the most consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart by a male solo artists.
Nelly's single “Hot in Herre” in 2002 went double-platinum.Billboard charts
Nelly’s 2000 debut album, “Country Grammar,” sold 10 million copies and topped Billboard’s overall charts. The disc’s title track peaked at No. 7 and sold gold.
But it was the hit “Ride Wit’ Me” with City Spud that drew more attention, hitting No. 3 and selling gold.
His sophomore album, “Nellyville,” in 2002 took Nelly to the top. It sold seven times platinum and also hit No. 1, and produced the single “Hot in Herre,” which went double-platinum, and “Dilemma,” which also hit No. 1.
His 2004 album “Suit” also hit No. 1 and went triple platinum, with the Top 10 hits "My Place"(featuring Jaheim), which went gold, and "Over and Over" (featuring Tim McGraw), which sold platinum.
His last chart-topper was "Grillz" (featuring Paul Wall and Ali & Gipp) in 2005. It went platinum.
But he came back with an even bigger-selling hit, “Just a Dream,” in 2010. It sold triple-platinum, despite peaking on the chart at No. 3.
Nelly has continued to have hits, including the platinum "The Fix" (featuring Jeremih) in 2015 and the triple-platinum "Lil Bit" (with Florida Georgia Line) in 2020.
In all, he has released eight albums, with the latest being 2021's "Heartland," which peaked at No. 45 on the overall albums chart. A compilation disc, "Still Hot in Herre," was released in 2022.
He also has won three Grammy Awards. "Hot in Herre" won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo Performance in 2003. Shake Ya Tailfeather" won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
Nelly headlined Allentown Fair in 2023.
