The rap beef between Chingy and Nelly was apparently much more grisly than many of us were aware of at the time their hits were dominating the airwaves.
According to a TikTok video, which has garnered nearly nine million views on Twitter, the shots Chingy and Nelly sent back and forth at each other over wax were rooted in real life conflict. Additionally, a Twitter user’s theory has deduced that while the pair of rappers were delivering upbeat, club-ready music, their lyrics were influencing violence.
The saga initiated in 2004 when Nelly released his song “Another One” and appeared to demand respect from Chingy due to his genre-bending approach to combining Hip-Hop with country music.
Nelly’s bars directed at Chingy were fairly coded and backhanded at the time as he raps, “I like the way you do that right thurr/Just remember when you do that right thurr/I made it tight to be country/They thought country was bummy/Till country start making money.”
On the other hand, Chingy’s response was much more aggressive and violent in nature, even though it was delivered over the upbeat production of his hit single “Right Thurr.”
“I’m going down down baby/Your street in a Range Rover,” Chingy raps. “Say another word this AK will have your brains hanging over/Hip-Hop ain’t pop sell-out change over/You frustrated wondering who snatch that chain soldier.”
And even though the pair of rappers have since reconciled their differences, a Twitter user’s theory about how their beef spilled over into the city of St. Louis provides a chilling reminder of the gruesome influence of violence in Hip-Hop.
“STL has been the murder capital since forever,” the Twitter user wrote in part. “And the music was so upbeat and happy, nobody paid attention to the shots and subliminals. N####s just now paying attention to the Chingy remix lol. Like Nelly came out the gate with a f##### nursery rhyme about a drive – by. We just danced to it lol”
Check out the wild video below.
STL has been the murder capital since forever. And the music was so upbeat and happy, nobody paid attention to the shots and subliminals. N##### just now paying attention to the Chingy remix lol. Like Nelly came out the gate with a f##### nursery rhyme about a drive – by. We just… https://t.co/N1kSHE8PJF
— Head Broke Boi Will (@MrGee54) November 15, 2023