NELLY

Born: November 2, 1974
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

Since 1993, Cornell Haynes Jr. (known to most as "Nelly"), has performed with the St. Lunatics""a collaboration of rappers including Big Lee, Kyjuan, Murphy Lee, and City Spud. The St. Lunatics worked together to produce many projects under Universal Records, which signed them in 1999. Nelly also created five solo studio albums under the label. During this time, Nelly was featured on countless records with other artists such as Kelly Rowland, Jagged Edge, "˜N Sync, Brian McKnight, Tim McGraw, The Notorious B.I.G., Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, R. Kelly, Ashanti and Chris Brown. Along with his thriving music career, Nelly is also an actor and entrepreneur.

You may remember him alongside Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard. The movie, which was created under MTV Films, was the largest box office release that the film company had ever seen. After the success of the movie, he appeared in two episodes of "CSI: NY." But that may be about all the acting we will see out of this mega star. Nelly admitted that he didn't want to take away from the traditions of acting.

Just when you thought he couldn't possibly have any more success, Nelly is also the owner of Derrty Entertainment, Applebottom clothing company, part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats as well as an up-scale bar in St. Louis called Skybox.

FUN FACTS:

Nelly is one of the wealthiest rappers in the world.

His duet, "Dilemma", with Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child, which topped all charts, is the most popular song he has done to date.

Nelly competed in a World Poker Tournament.