Nelly Joins Jelly Roll For Surprise Performance At The Grand Ole Opry House
The audience erupted with cheers when Jelly Roll shouted, “Ladies and gentlemen, Nelly!”
Jelly Roll, Nelly; Photos Courtesy TikTok
Jelly Roll surprised fans on Monday evening (Nov. 21) in Nashville when he invited Nelly to join him on stage at the Grand Ole Opry House for a performance of “Hot In Herre.”
The surprise moment took place during Jelly Roll’s set for The Big 98’s Friendsgiving concert. The newly crowned CMA New Artist of the Year kicked off the song on his own, singing the first verse and chorus solo. Moments later, much to the surprise of the audience, Jelly Roll shouted, “Ladies and gentlemen, Nelly!”
Performed “Hot In Herre”
Nelly proceeded to walk onto the stage of the Opry House, sporting leather overalls, a large diamond chain, and sunglasses. With what appeared to be a liquor bottle in his hand, the rapper took on the next verse on his own before Jelly Roll joined in.
@thatonetimei I think this was my favorite part of #BIG98Friendsgiving 😍🤩 @Jelly Roll @Nelly @The BIG 98 ♬ original sound – Melissa
In videos captured by fans and later shared to social media, the crowd can be heard screaming and singing along as he joined Jelly Roll on stage.
Following the performance, Nelly yelled, “Grand Ole Opry House…make some noise for my buddy Jelly Roll!”
The artists performed one of Nelly’s most iconic hits, “Hot In Herre.” This track was released by Nelly in 2002 and became the rapper’s first No.1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, according to Stereogum.
Fans Are Begging The Artists To Collaborate
One glance at the comments on these posts proves that fans are itching to hear a collaboration between the two artists. “We need that Nelly & Jelly Roll collab ASAP,” one user wrote, while another shared, “A little Nelly & Jelly hell yea!”
Nelly is no stranger to collaborating with country music artists. In 2004, he collaborated with Tim McGraw on “Over and Over” and has since worked with artists such as Florida Georgia Line, Kane Brown, Darius Rucker, and more. In 2021, he released Heartland, a country-influenced project. He told Forbes that this album was his way of saying thank you to the genre.
“Having knowledge that there are some people in this particular genre of music that are not as forthcoming of allowing other people to succeed in this music, I found it very necessary that I got a chance to celebrate this project and also work with as many African American country artists as I could putting this project together,” Nelly shared with the publication.
“Putting these brothers in position I thought that it was very necessary for me — if I was going to show my appreciation for how country music has allowed Nelly to be a part of their world ever since my first album came out — I thought it was only right that I had a chance to celebrate this project with these brothers.”
Jelly Roll Also Performed With Riley Green
In addition to sharing the stage with Nelly at The Big 98’s Friendsgiving concert, Jelly Roll also joined forces with Riley Green to perform their new collaboration, “Copenhagen In A Cadillac.” The track appears on Green’s new album, Ain’t My Last Rodeo.
The event, which benefitted St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, featured Jelly Roll and Green as well as Chris Janson and Anne Wilson.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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