Nelly detailed his upcoming new EP, Heartland, and assured fans that it is not a country EP but it is influenced by Country music.
In a new interview with ET Canada, the rapper details his forthcoming new EP, Heartland, which is set for release this year.
The rapper shared that he is truly “thankful” that his fans allow him to explore different genres with his music.
“I’m truly thankful that my fans allow me to do certain things like this,” Nelly explained. “when it comes to music as far as being able to be musically free and do music in different genres and still have success with it.”
He recently released his second collaboration entitled “Lil Bit” with country superstar duo Florida Georgia Line, which is the lead single from his forthcoming new EP. He said that FGL is “like family” to him as they’ve been “rockin’ together for about 7 or 8 years.”
“They care and they love what they do. So I love what I do and I think for the most part it just comes out in the music,” Nelly gushed.
Although, Nelly has had several collaborations within the country genre, he has never had an entire album within the genre and his forthcoming album, Heartland, is not a country album but a country influenced project. Nelly has been featured on country hits including Tim McGraw’s “Over And Over Again,” Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” remix, Kane Brown’s “Cool Again” remix and more recently Jimmie Allen’s “Good Times Roll.”
“Heartland is a Nelly album but it’s country influenced, it’s not a country album,” the rapper explained of his forthcoming new EP. “I respect the art form that is country music, I respect the artist and what they put into it, I don’t live a country life to feel like I am a country artist but I have a love and appreciation for country music and I’m showing how it influences Nelly and I think that’s what you want to do as an artist, is to be able to bring people together and to do things that other artists can’t do.”
Watch the full interview with Nelly below.
