The Truth About Nelly's New Limited-Edition Budweiser Can
Nelly is probably not getting his own McDonald's meal like rapper Travis Scott or reggaeton phenomenon J Blavin, but it's still getting pretty hot in here. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of his hit-album, Country Grammar, the St. Louis-raised hip hop artist and rapper teamed up with the St. Louis-born company, Anheuser-Busch, to make limited edition Nelly Budweiser cans (via Ad Week). To quote one of Nelly's Instagram fans, who reacted to the announcement with excitement, this team up is "Legendary."
The cans are emblazoned with the name "Nelly" instead of "Budweiser" and feature an illustration of the music legend in place of the traditional logo. Nelly's lyrics, "I'm from the Lou and I'm proud" even stand instead of the Budweiser motto. The beer, as far as we know, tastes the same, but it's already created converts. "I guess I'm a Budweiser guy now," declared user @david_soares (another member of Nelly's Instagram pack) in celebration of the can. "I don't drink alcohol but this makes me wanna drink Nelly's Bud limited ed," wrote @clairelove226. We hope they're in St. Louis, because the limited edition Nelly cans are only available in his home city (via St. Louis Post Dispatch).
Why Nelly teamed up with Budweiser
Nelly's Budweiser beer can marks his second foray into the beverage business. Remember Pimp Juice? No, not the song. We're talking about the energy drink that Nelly sold in the early 2000s, which inspired Lil Jon's Crunk, 50 Cent's Street King Energy Shot, and Kanye West's Guru Energy. It was, says Vice, "one of St. Louis' greatest cultural achievements." But back to Nelly's latest collaboration with Budweiser, which is not, as some social media hopefuls suggested, a new version of "pimp juice." It's a can of beer that represents Nelly's love for the city of St. Louis. "St. Louis is like one big family," the star told Ad Week, "At the end of the day, [Anheuser-Busch and I] both share a vested interest in helping the city." In an interview with the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Nelly recalled the company's importance to the city when he was growing up, "it almost felt like St. Louis was Anheuser-Busch," he reflected.
We know what question is on the tip of your tongue. Is Nelly a fan of his own beer cans, and will he approve if you stock up on them? "I thought it was dope, man," the "Hot In Here" singer turned Dancing with the Stars contestant told the St. Louis Post Dispatch, "I mean, the picture was cool. That's the main thing you worry about."