Nelly Says MTV Cribs Appearance “The Worst Thing I Did” After Strangers Showed Up To His Home

Nelly doesn’t look back with fondness on his memorable appearance on MTV Cribs from the early 2000s. The rapper recently spoke with J Cruz on The Cruz Show, where he opened up about the lasting consequences of the episode. When asked if his MTV Cribs segment was real, Nelly confirmed, “Hell yeah,” but revealed that the experience ended up being a costly one.

According to Nelly, showing his home on national television led to unintended consequences. He explained that while his address wasn’t directly revealed, the details shown on the show made it easy for fans to figure out where he lived. “They showed a plate because I had my name engraved on it,” he said, referencing a part of the home’s decor. The house, located in Lake St. Louis, Missouri, was a prime spot by the lake, which made it even more identifiable.

At the time, Nelly believed his home would be his forever, but after a series of intrusions, he realized otherwise. “There was no gate on the house, and people were pulling their boats up to the dock,” he recalled, adding that even strangers would approach his home while his mom was by the pool.

The experience led Nelly to make some changes, including moving out of the house after only a year. “We got gates and shit after that,” he laughed.

Nelly’s MTV Cribs episode aired at the height of his success, shortly after the release of his debut solo album Country Grammar and the St. Lunatics’ Free City album. The rapper’s second solo album, Nellyville, would follow in 2002, solidifying his spot in the music industry. Despite his early success, Nelly now looks back on the MTV Cribs experience as a cautionary tale.