Nelly becomes YouTube Billion View Club member

“Dilemma” video hits one billion views on platform

UMe/Republic has announced that Nelly’s single “Dilemma” is now officially part of YouTube’s Billion Views Club.

“It is both humbling and what every artist hopes for, to see your work from 20 years ago still getting such love from fans old and new,” the rapper shares. “Super dope that a song made before YouTube existed is getting so much support now and shout out to Nelly fans and to my girl Kelly Rowland who helped make this song a hit when we made it and still a hit today!”

Reaching one billion views on YouTube, “Dilemma” is one of only a handful of rap and hip hop music videos from the pre-YouTube era to achieve this milestone. Nelly joins a diverse and elite group of artists from this era to do the same, including 50 Cent, Nirvana, Queen, Guns N’ Roses, Whitney Houston, The Cranberries and a-ha.

The video for “Dilemma” was directed by and produced by GRAMMY Award winning Ryan Bowser pka GHOST (Monica, 112, Tyrese, Bow Wow).

The second song released from the Nellyville album, “Dilemma” featuring Kelly Rowland was a No. 1 single across multiple Billboard charts (Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop/Top 40/Rhythmic). Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” was No. 1 on the charts, until it was replaced by his own single “Dilemma.” The smash hit went on to win that year’s GRAMMY Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance.

“Dilemma” secured its place in the hearts of Nelly fans over the last 20 years and has recently been boosted by social media popularity from both existing fans and a whole new fanbase lip-syncing to the iconic song.

Born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. in Austin, Texas, and eventually settling in St. Louis, Nelly is credited as putting St. Louis hip hop music on the map. The rapper showed early promise, forming The St. Lunatics in 1993 with his childhood friends, MCs “Ali” Jones, Torhi “Murphy Lee” Harper, Lavell “City Spud” Webb, and Robert “Kyjuan” Cleveland. After huge local success and persistence with their unique sound of southern- style hip hop, Republic Records signed Nelly and the St. Lunatics.

Nelly’s Official Artist Channel on YouTube features many of his classic videos remastered in HD.

Over the last 12 months Nelly has amassed over 600M views across YouTube and his Official Artist Channel has amassed over 4M subscribers to date.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com