Nelly Hip-Hops to the Tube

Chart-topping rapper reportedly has UPN sitcom in the works

By Josh Grossberg Jul 16, 2002 5:15 PMTags
Nellyville is getting annexed by Hollywood.

Hot off the chart-topping success of his latest disc, Nellyville, Nelly is hammering out a deal with Paramount Network Television for his very own TV vehicle, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

No word on the plot--Paramount is reportedly keeping things under wraps--but based on the hip-hopster's Nelly-licious sense of humor, things should be pretty silly. There's also no title yet. (Here's one vote against Whoa, Nelly!)

While he has had some acting experience (a part in the little-seen, low-budget hip-hop thriller Snipes, a guest shot on Fox's MadTV), this will be the first major foray into television for Professor Nelly (given name Cornell Haynes Jr.).

Nelly seems to be patterning his career on fellow rapper-turned-thespian Will Smith, whose stint on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air led to a stellar film career and an Oscar nomination for last year's Ali.

The St. Louis native came out of nowhere two years ago, tearing up the Billboard chart with his Country Grammar. The disc has since sold an astounding 9 million copies.

His follow-up, Nellyville, opened at number one on the charts two weeks ago and remains the top-selling disc in the country. So far, Nellyville has sold 1.15 million copies after two weeks, making it the second fastest-selling disc of 2002 behind Eminem's The Eminem Show. (Eminem will make his acting debut later this year in the semiautobiographical 8 Mile.)

The Nelly sitcom will be produced by Claude Brooks' C to the B Productions. Brooks was the creator and former executive producer of MTV's comedy series The Lyricist Lounge.

The Nelly show would likely be slated either as a midseason replacement or for fall 2003.