Nappy Roots

Nappy Roots is an alternative Southern rap group from Bowling Green, Kentucky. Rappers Fish Scales, Skinny DeVille, B. Stille, and Ron Clutch all met while studying at Western Kentucky University in 1995 and soon began collaborating together. The popularity of their independent studio debut Country Fried Cess (1998) helped them ink a deal with Atlantic Records, which released their breakthrough major-label debut Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz in 2002. Driven by the hit singles "Headz Up," "Awnaw," and "Po' Folks," the album peaked at Number 3 on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts and was eventually certified multi-platinum in the US. Even though the group achieved further critical acclaim with their third LP Wooden Leather (2003), which featured production by Kanye West, David Banner, and Lil Jon, they severed ties with Atlantic and went back to their independent ethos on releases like Innerstate Music (2007), The Humdinger (2008), The Pursuit of Nappyness (2010), and Nappy Dot Org (2011), recorded in collaboration with Organized Noize. In the following years, Nappy Roots continued to push the boundaries of hip-hop with the albums 40Akerz Project (2015) and Another 40 Akerz (2017), both released via their N.R.E.G. label.