Nelly’s 2000 debut Country Grammar is known and loved as an undeniable hip hop classic, and now the album has become only the eighth in RIAA history to be certified diamond. This prestigious achievement is only handed down to LPs that have shifted more than 10 million units. With the rise of streaming as a huge influencer in the consumption of music – 10 streams is equivalent to one album sale – Country Grammar would have secured a serious extra push, considering that his iconic track “Ride Wit Me” has collated over 58 million streams alone. Other hip hop albums to have gone diamond include The Notorious B.I.G.’s Life After Death, OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Tupac’s All Eyez On Me, Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show, and M.C. Hammer’s Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em. See Nelly’s celebratory Instagram post below.
