Nelly has firmly disputed T-Pain‘s long-circulated claim about the hit song “Low,” insisting he was never offered the chart-topping track before it became Flo Rida‘s breakthrough single. The controversy stems from statements T-Pain made during a 2022 appearance on Joe Budden’s Pull Up series, where he asserted that both Nelly and Paul Wall had passed on the opportunity to record the song before it eventually landed with Flo Rida.
Throughout 2023, Nelly has repeatedly challenged this narrative in multiple interviews, categorically denying any prior knowledge of the track. “I never heard the song, never was presented with it,” Nelly emphasized, pushing back against what he considers a misleading account that has shaped public perception of the song’s origin story. Nelly has made it clear that he believes everything happens for a reason regarding how the track ultimately found its home with Flo Rida.
The disputed track, “Low,” featuring T-Pain’s distinctive vocals, debuted at number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 2007 before skyrocketing to number one by December 30 that same year. The song dominated the top position for an impressive 10 weeks and remained in the chart’s top ten for 23 weeks, ultimately spending a total of 39 weeks on the Hot 100. T-Pain’s signature Auto-Tune effect became one of the song’s most recognizable elements, helping establish the electronic vocal style that would dominate the late 2000s hip-hop scene.
“Low” achieved unprecedented digital success, becoming the first song to reach four million digital sales in the United States by June 2008. The track continued breaking records, surpassing five million sales by June 2009 and holding the title of best-selling digital song until The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” claimed the crown in 2010. This massive success established a valuable sync licensing deal when the song was featured prominently in the film “Step Up 2: The Streets,” demonstrating how hit tracks can generate substantial revenue beyond streaming and sales. For both T-Pain and Flo Rida, the song generated significant performance royalties through airplay and public performances tracked by PROs like ASCAP and BMI.
The disagreement between these prominent artists highlights broader issues within hip-hop regarding song attribution and industry narratives. While T-Pain’s version suggests he was involved from the beginning as a featured artist, Nelly’s denial challenges this widely accepted story.
For Flo Rida, “Low” served as his debut single from the album “Mail on Sunday,” catapulting him into mainstream success with a song that would ultimately achieve over seven million digital sales by June 2014, cementing its place in hip-hop history regardless of its disputed origins.
