Nelly’s Big Moment

February 1, 2004 Nelly performs at Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show.

Nelly performing at 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show

Cornell Hanes, Jr., aka Nelly, was on top of the world in the early 2000s after the success of his albums Country Grammar in 2000 and Nellyville in 2002. The University City native seemed to be everywhere wearing shirts that represented his hometown teams, so it only seemed logical that he would be one of the headlining acts for the most-watched TV program of the year.

Nelly and P. Diddy at midfield during the 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Nelly performed his hit song “Hot in Herre” alongside other big stars like P. Diddy, Kid Rock, and Jessica Simpson. But his performance ended up being largely forgotten when the final act showcasing Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson ended with the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” that became the talk show fodder for weeks.

Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake

2004 was actually the second time that Nelly had performed at the NFL championship game. He also performed in 2001 in one of the most amazing group performances in sports history. Nelly joined NSYNC, Aerosmith, Mary J. Blige and Britney Spears that some call the best ensemble performance in Super Bowl history.

Justin Timberlake, Steven Tyler, Britney Spears, and Nelly at 2001 Super Bowl Halftime.
Courtesy of Associated Press