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M.O. (album)

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M.O.
Studio album by
Nelly
ReleasedSeptember 30, 2013 (2013-09-30)
Recorded2011–2013
Genre
Length46:50
LabelRepublic
Producer
Nelly chronology
5.0
(2010) 		M.O.
(2013) 		Heartland
(2021)
Singles from M.O.
  1. "Hey Porsche"
    Released: February 19, 2013
  2. "Get Like Me"
    Released: July 2, 2013
  3. "Heaven"
    Released: September 2, 2013
  4. "All Around the World"
    Released: November 21, 2013
  5. "Rick James"
    Released: December 2013

M.O. is the seventh studio album by American rapper Nelly. Republic Records released the album on September 30, 2013, as the follow-up to his sixth album, 5.0 (2010). Its lead single, "Hey Porsche", was released on February 19, 2013, and peaked at number 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "Get Like Me", featuring Nicki Minaj and Pharrell Williams, premiered online on June 18, 2013, and was released on July 2, 2013 as the album's second single. The album features guest appearances from Nicki Minaj, Pharrell, Future, T.I., Daley, 2 Chainz, Trey Songz, Fabolous, Wiz Khalifa, Florida Georgia Line, Nelly Furtado and Yo Gotti.

M.O. moderately entered the Billboard 200 — debuting and peaking at number 14 — and was met with mixed critical response. It remains Nelly's final album styled in hip hop.

Background and recording

[edit]

On July 3, 2011, Nelly made a public announcement on Today that he was recording a new album.[2] On January 10, 2012, it was announced that Nelly would be working with producer Dr. Dre on new music, presumably for his seventh studio album.[3] On January 15, 2012, Nelly announced via Twitter that he was working with singers Chris Brown, Trey Songz and producer Noel "Detail" Fisher on his new album.[4] On July 3, 2012, he announced that the album would be titled M.O..[5] In August 2012, in an interview with ThisIs50.com, Nelly confirmed that Akon and the St. Lunatics will appear on the album.[6]

On August 10, 2012, Nelly posted a photo on Instagram of himself and producer Mike Will Made It in a recording studio working on new material for the album.[7] On July 7, 2013, it was announced that the album would be released on September 30, 2013.[8][9] On September 4, 2013, the album cover was released.[10] On September 10, 2013, the final track listing was released revealing guest appearances on the album from Nicki Minaj, Pharrell, Future, T.I., Daley, 2 Chainz, Trey Songz, Fabolous, Wiz Khalifa, Florida Georgia Line, Nelly Furtado and Yo Gotti.[11]

In September 2013, during an interview with Complex Nelly spoke about why he titled the album M.O., saying: "First of all, I’m excited that I get a chance to do a seventh album. [Laughs.] Also, being 14 years later [since Country Grammar was released], being able to do a lot of great things in 14 years and represent somewhere that a lot of people don’t get to represent, especially in the music business and definitely in the hip-hop game. I stand for the Midwest. That’s why the album’s titled M.O., ‘cause I’m still holding it down like that. My friends and family all call me Mo, so it’s kind of like really representing where I’m from and me at the same time."[12]

Singles

[edit]

On July 3, 2012, Nelly announced via Twitter that the title of the album's first promotional single would be "Marry Go Round".[5] The Da Internz-produced track features Chris Brown and premiered in full online on July 4, 2012.[5] On February 19, 2013, the album's first single "Hey Porsche" was released.[13] On March 1, 2013, the music video was released for "Hey Porsche".[14] On July 2, 2013, the album's second single "Get Like Me" featuring Pharrell and Nicki Minaj was released.[15] On July 31, 2013, the music video was released for "Get Like Me" featuring Pharrell and Nicki Minaj.[16] On September 2, 2013, the album's third single "Heaven" featuring Daley was released.[17] On October 3, 2013, with the album in stores, Nelly appeared on Good Morning America to perform the Pharrell-produced song, "Rick James" alongside T.I.[18] In December 2013, "Rick James" will be sent to urban contemporary radio in the United States as the album's fifth single.[19]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[20]
Artistdirect[21]
Rolling Stone[22]
Tom Hull – on the WebB[23]
XXL[24]

M.O. was met with generally mixed reviews from music critics. David Jeffries of AllMusic gave the album three out of five stars, saying "Even if Nelly had his most successful single in years with 2010's "Just a Dream," his defining numbers go back over a decade before this 2013 release, with "Country Grammar" landing in 2000 and the massive "Hot in Herre" dropping in 2002. The serene and smooth "Just a Dream" was also an odd duck for the party-time rapper as he always seemed more comfortable popping bottles and dropping drawers, so the semi-sweet M.O. splits the difference, dropping "Just a Dream" sequels like the uplifting "Heaven" with Daley, and the less-successful "Headphones" with Nelly Furtado, a rap-by-numbers "we need something that sounds like B.o.B's 'Airplanes'" track."[20]

Chris Mench of XXL gave the album an M, saying "In the end, M.O. simply fails to excite or innovate. It’s a serviceable enough album, one that may have been good if it had been released in 2004. However, not only does it not break new ground, but it has a pervasive sense of playing catch-up. It’s as if Nelly knows he’s lost the public’s ear and is trying desperately to get it back. Unfortunately for him the album fails to do so, and M.O. remains a disappointment for a rapper who was once among the most recognizable entities in hip-hop."[24] Caryn Ganz of Rolling Stone gave the album two out of five stars, saying "Nelly's seventh album opens strong with a brilliantly chill Nicki Minaj cameo on a gloriously narcotic Pharrell track ("Get Like Me") and a characteristically romantic turn from Future ("Give U Dat"), but wraps weakly with a jangly jam featuring country duo Florida Georgia Line and a cheesy ballad with Nelly Furtado."[22] Rick Florino of Artistdirect gave the album five out of five stars, saying "M.O. ebbs and flows with dynamics rarely seen in hip-hop. That's what makes it such a well-rounded listen overall. Ultimately, it's a milestone for Nelly, and that's saying a lot. He's not stopping anytime soon either."[21]

Commercial performance

[edit]

The album debuted at number 14 on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 15,000 copies in the United States.[25] In its second week, the album sold 5,000 more copies.[26] In its third week, the album sold 3,000 more copies bringing its total album sales to 23,000.[27]

Track listing

[edit]
M.O. – Standard version[28]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Get Like Me" (featuring Nicki Minaj and Pharrell Williams)
Pharrell Williams3:51
2."Give U Dat" (featuring Future)
Detail4:12
3."Rick James" (featuring T.I.)
Pharrell Williams3:46
4."Heaven" (featuring Daley)
  • Haynes
  • Fisher
  • Evan Taubenfeld
  • Sidney Swift
  • Alex Goodwin
Detail3:23
5."Maryland, Massachusetts"
  • Haynes
  • Williams
Pharrell Williams3:48
6."100K" (featuring 2 Chainz)
Detail3:49
7."All Around the World" (featuring Trey Songz)
J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League4:07
8."IDGAF" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.)
Pharrell Williams3:10
9."U Know U Want To"
Planet VI3:50
10."My Chick Better" (featuring Fabolous and Wiz Khalifa)
John "$K" McGee4:18
11."Walk Away" (featuring Florida Georgia Line)
Rico Love4:18
12."Headphones" (featuring Nelly Furtado)
  • Soul Unique[29]
  • Ritter*
4:18
Total length:46:50
M.O. – Deluxe version (bonus tracks)[30]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Ciroc & Simply Lemonade" (featuring Yo Gotti)
  • Nelly
  • Sag Live
3:28
14."Hey Porsche"
3:29
15."Shake Whatever"
  • Haynes
  • Williams
Pharrell Williams3:10
16."Mo's Focused"
  • Haynes
  • Jared Johnson
  • Arnaldo Gordon
  • Karriem Mack
  • Keith Lamar Conover
  • K-Mack
  • Jared "Face 49" Johnson
  • Keith Lamar Conover*
2:57
Total length:59:54

Notes

  • (*) signifies a co-producer
  • The track order is sequenced differently on physical and digital releases.

Chart positions

[edit]
Chart (2013) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[31] 81
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[32] 34
UK Albums (OCC)[33] 89
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[34] 10
US Billboard 200[35] 14
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[36] 4

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format Label(s)
United Kingdom[37] September 30, 2013
Universal Island
United States[38]
Italy[39] October 2, 2013 Universal Music
Germany[40] October 4, 2013

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Review: Nelly aims for broad appeal on 'M.O.' : Entertainment". Stltoday.com. September 30, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  2. ^ "Nelly Plans New Album for This Year". Rap-Up.com. May 18, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  3. ^ "Nelly Hits the Studio with Dr. Dre". Rap-Up.com. January 10, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  4. ^ "Twitter: Nelly_Mo (@Nelly_Mo)". Twitter. January 15, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  5. ^ a b c "Twitter: Nelly_Mo (@Nelly_Mo)". Twitter. July 4, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  6. ^ "TI50: Nelly says Ashanti is a GREAT Friend, Congratulates Frank Ocean & Talks Chris Brown vs Drake". ThisIs50.com. August 5, 2012. Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  7. ^ "Twitter: Nelly_Mo (@Nelly_Mo)". Twitter. August 10, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  8. ^ Cooper, Roman (July 7, 2013). "Nelly "M.O." Release Date". HipHop DX. Archived from the original on August 18, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  9. ^ "Upcoming Releases". HITS Daily Double. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  10. ^ "Nelly M.O. Cover & Tracklist". Rap Radar. June 18, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  11. ^ "Tracklisting: Nelly – 'M.O.'". Rap-Up.com. October 18, 2010. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  12. ^ "Interview: Nelly Talks Upcoming Album "M.O."". Complex. April 14, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  13. ^ "iTunes - Music - Hey Porsche - Single by Nelly". iTunes. February 19, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  14. ^ "Nelly - "Hey Porsche"". HipHop DX. March 1, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  15. ^ "iTunes - Music - Get Like Me (feat. Nicki Minaj & Pharrell) - Single by Nelly". iTunes. July 2, 2013. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  16. ^ "Video: Nelly f/ Nicki Minaj & Pharrell – 'Get Like Me'". Rap-Up.com. July 31, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  17. ^ "iTunes - Music - Heaven (feat. Daley) - Single by Nelly". iTunes. November 2, 1974. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  18. ^ "Nelly & T.I. Perform "Rick James" on Good Morning America (Video)". 2dopeboyz. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  19. ^ "View Listing | Promo Only: Music & Music Video". Promo Only. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  20. ^ a b David Jeffries (September 30, 2013). "M.O. - Nelly | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  21. ^ a b "Nelly "M.O." Album Review — 5 out of 5 stars @ARTISTdirect". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  22. ^ a b Caryn Ganz (September 23, 2013). "Nelly, 'M.O.'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  23. ^ Tom Hull, Hull. "Grade List: Nelly". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Nelly Gets Lost In The Shuffle On 'M.O.' - XXL". Xxlmag.com. October 4, 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  25. ^ Tardio, Andres (October 6, 2013). "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 10/6/2013". HipHopDX. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  26. ^ Tardio, Andres (October 13, 2013). "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 10/13/2013". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  27. ^ Tardio, Andres (October 23, 2013). "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 10/20/2013". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on October 25, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  28. ^ "iTunes — Music — M.O. by Nelly". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  29. ^ "Nelly Previews New Album At Jungle City Studios In NYC - XXL". Xxlmag.com. September 24, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  30. ^ "iTunes — Music — M.O. (Deluxe Version) by Nelly". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  31. ^ "The ARIA Report: Issue 1223 (Week Commencing 14 October 2013)" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  32. ^ "M.O." (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  33. ^ "Nelly | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
  34. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  35. ^ "Nelly Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
  36. ^ "Nelly Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
  37. ^ "101 new albums to get excited about between now and Christmas!". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  38. ^ "M.O.: Music". Amazon. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  39. ^ "M.O. (Deluxe Edition) [Explicit]: Nelly: Amazon.it: Musica MP3". Amazon.it. January 1, 1970. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  40. ^ "M.O.: Amazon.de: Musik". Amazon.de. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
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