Nelly owned the summer of 2000 and the months thereafter when his debut album Country Grammar hit store shelves. Off the strength of “Country Grammar” — Side note: the hook, despite its playful tone, found Nelly flipping a nursery rhyme into talk of a drive-by waiting to happen (going down your street in a Range Rover / Street sweeper, cocked ready to let it go”) — “Ride Wit Me,” and “E.I.,” the album topped Billboard charts, held a firm position on the R&B/Hip-Hop album chart for six consecutive weeks, and generated plenty Album of the Year chatter.
Now a month into its 16th year milestone, Nelly’s major label debut steals the show once again. As reported by Forbes, the Country Grammar has been certified diamond by the RIAA for selling over 10 million units. The prestigious award adds yet another feat to the St. Louis-bred rapper’s store of accomplishments as he now gives hip-hop its ninth album to join the diamond club. Since 1990, only eight rap releases have earned the coveted honor. So below, we lined up all the said releases to score the award that trumps the all-platinum talk.
[Another side note: Was Kanye’s recent interpolation of Nelly’s Country Grammy album on The Life of Pablo a reason for the recent surge in album sales? Random.]
MC Hammer’s Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em
Release Date: February 2, 1990
Certification Date: April 22, 1991
Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill
Release Date: November 15, 1986
Certification Date: March 4, 2015
2Pac’s All Eyez On Me
Release Date: February 13, 1996
Certification Date: June 23, 2014
The Notorious B.I.G.’s Life After Death
Release Date: March 25, 1997
Certification Date: January 6, 2000
2Pac’s Greatest Hits
Release Date: November 24, 1998
Certification Date: June 23, 2011
Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP
Release Date: May 23, 2000
Certification Date: March 9, 2011
Eminem’s The Eminem Show
Release Date: May 21, 2002
Certification Date: March 7, 2011
Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Release Date: September 23, 2003
Certification Date: May 30, 2006