In the early 2000s, Nelly had us all stomping in our Air Force 1s. Now, however, he’s suggesting that he might’ve also been why the price of the popular Nike sneakers has never been the same. While sneaker shopping with Complex, the St. Louis emcee revealed that the Air Force 1 sneaker just so happens to be one of his favorite pairs of kicks. He even began to elaborate on being partly responsible for reviving the popularity of the sneaker on his 2002 hit titled “Air Force Ones.”

In September 2020, Nelly earned a whole new legion of fans when he was announced as one of the cast members of the hit ABC reality competition series, “Dancing with the Stars.” But while many people believed that the rapper born Cornell Haynes Jr. in St. Louis was merely “washed up” and trying to become relevant again, the fact is, he was never irrelevant in the first place. As it turns out, the actor, rapper, and philanthropist is also quite the shrewd businessman, as well. So much so, in fact, that he’s earned an estimated $8 million net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth. But how did he do it? Simply put, Nelly made a series of wise business moves that involved diversifying his business investments. He’s invested in everything from sports teams to fashion, all while still releasing new music for his devoted fan base. Even the music switched up over a period of time: though initially starting out with rap music, he eventually transitioned into a more country and western feel,...