Nappy Roots

{{Short description|American alternative rap band}} {{Redirect|Fish Scales|the aspect of fish anatomy|Fish scale}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Nappy Roots | image = 2004 NBA All-Star Jam Session - Nappy Roots.jpg | caption = Nappy Roots performing at the 2004 NBA All-Star Jam Session in Los Angeles | background = group_or_band | origin = Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S. | genre = Southern hip-hop | years_active = 1995–present | label = Atlantic Nappy Roots Entertainment Group Fontana Distribution AVJ Records | website = [http://www.nappyroots.com/ NappyRoots.com] | current_members = Skinny DeVille B. Stille Ron Clutch Fish Scales | past_members = R. Prophet Big V }}

'''Nappy Roots''' is an American alternative Southern rap group. The group met in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1995 while attending Western Kentucky University. They have worked with Rob Run Corleone of Empire Distribution. On the South Rituals mixtape. They are best known for their hit singles "Po' Folks", "Awnaw", "Roun' The Globe" and "Good Day". The group consists of Milledgeville, Georgia, native Fish Scales and Kentucky natives Skinny DeVille, B. Stille and Ron Clutch.

R. Prophet exited the group in 2006, followed by Big V, who left in 2012 to focus on their solo careers.<ref>VelocityWeekly.com, [http://www.velocityweekly.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080206/VELOCITY01/802060541 A little wiser and more financially savvy, Nappy Roots takes its career into its own hands] Retrieved on March 9, 2008</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.20054/title.nappy-roots-member-big-v-leaves-group-releases-free-solo-ep |title=Nappy Roots Member Big V Leaves Group, Releases Free Solo EP {{!}} Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales {{!}} HipHop DX |access-date=2012-06-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822123758/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.20054/title.nappy-roots-member-big-v-leaves-group-releases-free-solo-ep |archive-date=2012-08-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Biography== The group formed when the members were students at Western Kentucky University.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://enquirer.com/editions/2002/03/11/tem_nappy_roots_melds.html |title=Cincinnati Enquirer | Cincinnati.com: Cincinnati news, breaking news and sports |website=Enquirer.com |access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref> Nappy Roots' debut independent album ''Country Fried Cess'' was released in 1998, which led to the group being signed by Atlantic Records. Their first album on Atlantic was 2002's best selling hip-hop album, ''Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz''. The multi-platinum album featured the hit-singles "Headz Up", "Awnaw", and "Po' Folks". The "Awnaw (Remix)" featuring Marcos of P.O.D. appeared on ''Madden 2003''.

In their home state, Paul E. Patton, the governor of Kentucky, sanctioned September 16 as "Nappy Roots Day".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.1207/title.september-16th-is-nappy-roots-day|title=September 16th is Nappy Roots Day|first=Jay|last=Twentythree|date=September 17, 2002|website=HipHopDX}}</ref>

Their next and last album with Atlantic Records was ''Wooden Leather'', released in 2003, featuring the singles "Roun' the Globe", which was featured on ''Madden 2004'', and "Sick and Tired" (featuring Anthony Hamilton). This critically acclaimed, major label follow-up album featured production from Kanye West, David Banner and Lil Jon. Also in 2003, Nappy Roots were on the soundtrack to ''Daredevil'', with the song "Right Now", which featured Marcos Curiel of P.O.D. and was released on Windup Records. In 2004, three songs by Nappy Roots were included in the movie soundtrack to ''The Ladykillers'', released on Sony Music.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Ladykillers-Various-Artists/dp/B0001IN10W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327285832&sr=8-1|title=Amazon.com |website=Amazon }}</ref>

Since the release of ''Wooden Leather'' they have gone back to being independent artists, and have started their own label, N.R.E.G. (Nappy Roots Entertainment Group) with distribution through Fontana/Universal Music Group. On July 31, 2007, they released their first album as independent artists, ''Innerstate Music'', featuring singles "Good Day" and "Keep It Real". This was actually an internet album, similar to a modern-day mixtape. It was intended to be a precursor to their 2008 album, ''The Humdinger'', which was released on August 5, 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.6859/title.where-have-the-nappy-roots-been |title=Where Have the Nappy Roots Been? | Hip Hop News > HipHopDX.com |access-date=2008-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505065253/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.6859/title.where-have-the-nappy-roots-been |archive-date=2008-05-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2007 Nappy Roots was featured on the original version of the Tantric song titled "Fall Down". The song had originally been intended for Tantric's album ''Tantric III'', but due to the album being shelved, the song went unreleased. However, Tantric did re-record the song for their 2008 album ''The End Begins''. The version featuring Nappy Roots can only be found on YouTube.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=YouTube|title=Tantric- Fall Down (Unreleased)|date=9 December 2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z-pqfSs_8E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/_z-pqfSs_8E |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2020-02-08}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The critically acclaimed album ''The Humdinger'' features guest appearances from Anthony Hamilton, Greg Nice, Greg Street and Slick & Rose, with production from Sol Messiah, James "Groove" Chambers, BIG AL 360, Joe Hop and more. The album entered the ''Billboard'' Rap Charts at No. 7 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at No. 13.

In 2009 the single "We're Gonna Make it" by Skinny and Scales was released through Nappy Roots Entertainment Group.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Were-Gonna-Make-It/dp/B001U82SSS/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327286593&sr=301-1 We're Gonna Make It: Nappy Roots Presents: Skinny & Scales (40 Akerz): MP3 Downloads], Amazon.com</ref>

Nappy Roots kicked off 2010 with their highly anticipated new album, ''The Pursuit of Nappyness'', released on June 15, 2010. The album features songs by Phivestarr Productions, a production duo from Atlanta, Georgia.<ref>[http://2dopeboyz.com/2009/02/05/skinny-scales-nappy-roots-we-out-here/ Skinny & Scales (Nappy Roots) – We Out Here | 2dopeboyz.com]</ref>

In 2011, Nappy Roots teamed up with hip hop producers Organized Noize to create ''Nappy Dot Org''. The first single, "Congratulations", was made available online on July 13, 2011, by way of ''XXL Magazine'' and 2DopeBoyz. On October 11, 2011, Nappy Roots released ''Nappy Dot Org'', entirely produced by Organized Noize.

The ''Nappy Roots Presents Sh!ts Beautiful'' album/mixtape was released on June 27, 2012, through ''AllHipHop''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://allhiphop.com/features/allhiphop-presents-nappy-roots-shts-beautiful-mixtape/|title=AllHipHop Presents Nappy Roots Sh!ts Beautiful Mixtape|first=Steve|last=Raze (@SteveRaze)|date=June 27, 2012|website=AllHipHop}}</ref>

In 2015, Nappy Roots released their most recent album, ''The 40 Akerz Project''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesource.com/2015/05/20/nappy-roots-releases-the-40-akerz-project/ |title=Nappy Roots Releases The 40 Akerz Project |website=The Source |date=21 May 2015 |access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref> In August 2017, "Good Day" was on President Barack Obama's summertime playlist.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wave3.com/story/29801407/nappy-roots-song-makes-obamas-summertime-playlist/|title=Nappy Roots song makes Obama's summertime playlist|first=Amber|last=Powell|date=August 17, 2015|website=WAVE3}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/14/politics/barack-obama-spotify-playlist-white-house/index.html|title=Barack Obama releases a Spotify #POTUSPlaylist | CNN Politics|first=Daniella|last=Diaz|date=August 14, 2015|website=CNN}}</ref> In 2018, the Cincinnati Bengals featured Nappy Roots song "Good Day" in their promotional video "Seize the DEY".<ref>{{cite web |title=Seize the DEY |url=https://www.bengals.com/video/seize-the-dey |publisher=Cincinnati Bengals}}</ref> They also released a single at the same year together with Vitas called "Roll With the Beat".

==Singles== {|class="wikitable" |- !rowspan="2"|Year !rowspan="2"|Song !colspan="4"|Chart positions<ref name="billboard">[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=nappy roots|chart=all}} Billboard.com – Artist Chart History – Nappy Roots]. ''Billboard''. Accessed June 14, 2010.</ref> !rowspan="2"|Album |- !width="40"|US !width="40"|US R&B/HH !width="40"|US Rap !width="40"|US Pop |- | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"|2002 |align="left"|"Awnaw" (featuring Jazze Pha) | style="text-align:center;"|51 | style="text-align:center;"|18 | style="text-align:center;"|15 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="3"|''Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz'' |- |align="left"|"Po' Folks" (featuring Anthony Hamilton) | style="text-align:center;"|21 | style="text-align:center;"|13 | style="text-align:center;"|10 | style="text-align:center;"|25 |- |align="left"|"Headz Up" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|88 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |- | style="text-align:center;"|2003 |align="left"|"Roun' The Globe" | style="text-align:center;"|96 | style="text-align:center;"|53 | style="text-align:center;"|25 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:left;"|''Wooden Leather'' |- | style="text-align:center;"| 2004 |align="left"|"Trouble of this World (Coming Home)" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | ''The Ladykillers'' |- |style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2008 |align="left"|"Good Day" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|80 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|''The Humdinger'' |- | align="left"|"Down 'N Out" (featuring Anthony Hamilton) | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|91 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |- | style="text-align:center;"|2010 | align="left"|"Ride" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:left;"|''The Pursuit of Nappyness'' |- |style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2011 |align="left"|"Congratulations" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|''Nappy Dot Org'' |- |align="left"|"Hey Love" | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|57 | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |- |style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2012 |align="left"|"Another Sofa Bed" (featuring Audio Stepchild) | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|''Nappy Roots Presents Sh!t's Beautiful'' |- |align="left"|"Bigga Thomas" (featuring 40 Akerz) | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— |- |style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|2018 |align="left"|"Keep The Crypt" (Anything But Broke featuring Nappy Roots) | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:left;"|''The Start EP'' |- |align="left"|"Roll With The Beat" (Vitas featuring Nappy Roots) | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:center;"|— | style="text-align:left;"|''Roll With The Beat EP'' |}

==Discography== ===Studio albums=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="text-align:left; width:650px;"|Album information |- |align="left"|'''''Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz''''' *RIAA Certification: Platinum *Released: February 26, 2002 *Billboard 200 chart position: #24 *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #3 *Singles: "Awnaw", "Po' Folks", "Headz Up" |- |align="left"|'''''Wooden Leather''''' *RIAA Certification: *Released: August 26, 2003 *Billboard 200 chart position: #12 *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #9 *Singles: "Roun' the Globe", "Sick and Tired" |- |align="left"|'''''The Humdinger''''' *Release: August 5, 2008 *Billboard 200 chart position: #73 *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #13 *Rap chart position: #7 *Top Independent Albums: #11 *Singles: "Good Day", "Down & Out" |- |align="left"|'''''The Pursuit of Nappyness''''' *Release: June 15, 2010 *Billboard 200 chart position: – *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: 40 *Rap chart position: 21 *Top Independent Albums: 48 *Singles: "Ride", "Be Alright", "Back Home" |- |align="left"|'''''Nappy Dot Org''''' (with Organized Noize) *Release: October 11, 2011 *Billboard 200 chart position: – *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: – *Rap chart position: – *Top Independent Albums: – *Singles: "Congratulations", "Hey Love" |- |align="left"|'''''40Akerz Project''''' *Release: May 5, 2015 *Billboard 200 chart position: – *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: – *Rap chart position: – *Top Independent Albums: – *Singles: "Tokyo", "Party for the Ages" |- |align="left"|'''''Another 40 Akerz''''' *Release: April 14, 2017 *Billboard 200 chart position: – *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: – *Rap chart position: – *Top Independent Albums: – *Singles: "Lookin Grown" |- |align="left"|'''''40RTY+''''' *Release: July 30, 2021 *Billboard 200 chart position: – *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: – *Rap chart position: – *Top Independent Albums: – *Singles: |- |align="left"|'''''NAPPY4LIFE, Pt. 1''''' *Release: October 20, 2023 *Billboard 200 chart position: – *R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: – *Rap chart position: – *Top Independent Albums: – *Singles: |}

===Featured tracks=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Song !! Artist !! Album !! Year |- | "Bluegrass Stain'd" || Mark Ronson || ''Here Comes The Fuzz'' || 2003 |- | "K.K.K.Y-Remix" || Cunninlynguists || ''Strange Journey Volume One'' || 2009 |- | "The Man In Me" || Chase Bean || ''Revelry'' || 2010 |- |"Anti-Depression" & "Good Die Young" || Jacob Izrael || ''The Glitch 2.0'' || 2010 |- | "Election Day" || Jonathan Hay || Single || 2011 |- | "Sofa Bed" || Audio Stepchild || ''Every Coincidence Is Significant'' || 2012 |- | "Some Kentucky Bourbon On Christmas Eve" || 1st Blood || ''A Different Kind Of Christmas'' || 2012 |- | "Snow Bunny" & "Holiday Wavy" || Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey, Jonathan Hay || ''A Different Kind Of Christmas'' || 2012 |- | "White Shoes" || Kid Quill || ''94.3 The Reel'' || 2017 |- | "Roll With The Beat" || Vitas || ''Roll With The Beat EP'' || 2018 |}

===Mixtapes=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="text-align:left; width:650px;"|Mixtape information |- |align="left"|'''''Country Fried Cess''''' *Release: 1998 |- |align="left"|'''''No Comb No Brush No Fade No Perm''''' *Release: 2000 |- |align="left"|'''''The Leak''''' *Release: 2005 |- |align="left"|'''''Nappy Roots Music Presents – The Kentucky Kolonels Vol. 1''''' *Release: 2006 |- |align="left"|'''''90 In The Slow Lane''''' *Released: 2006 |- |align="left"|'''''Innerstate Music''''' *Released: 2007 |- |align="left"|'''''Cookout Muzik''''' *Released: 2008 |- |align="left"|'''''Nappy University''''' *Released: 2010 |- |align="left"|'''''Nappy University Vol. 2: Fall Semester''''' *Released: 2010 |- |align="left"|'''''Nappy Roots Presents Sh!t's Beautiful''''' *Released: 2012 |}

==Music videos== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Video ! Director |- |- | 2002 | "Po' Folks" (w/ Anthony Hamilton) | |- | 2002 | "Awwnaw" | |- |- | 2002 | "Headz Up" | |- | 2003 | "Roun' The Globe" | |- | 2008 | "Good Day" (w/ DJ Greg Street) | |- | 2011 | "Waste Some Time"(w/ Colt Ford and Nic Cowan) | David Poag |}

==Awards and nominations== ===2002=== * 2002 MTV Video Music Award nomination for the MTV2 Award for "Awnaw" – shared nomination with Jazze Pha<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2002/mtvvmas.htm |title=2002 MTV Video Music Awards |publisher=Rock On The Net |date=2002-08-29 |access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref>

===2003=== * 2003 American Music Award nominations for ''Favorite Band, Duo or Group – Hip-Hop/R&B'' and ''Favorite New Artist – Hip-Hop/R&B''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2003/amas.htm |title=30th American Music Awards (presented in 2003) |publisher=Rock On The Net |date=2003-01-13 |access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref> * 2003 Grammy Award nominations for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for ''"Po' Folks"'' – shared nomination with Anthony Hamilton and Best Long Form Music Video for "The World According to Nappy" – shared nomination with Gloria Gabriel, director; David Anthony <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2003/grammys.htm |title=45th Annual Grammy Awards – 2003 |publisher=Rock On The Net |date=2003-02-23 |access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref> * 2003 Soul Train Award nomination for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist for ''"Awnaw"''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.atlanticrecords.com/nappyroots/article/?article=15807 |title=Atlantic News page |access-date=2006-10-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061126230434/http://www.atlanticrecords.com/nappyroots/article/?article=15807 |archive-date=2006-11-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===2008=== * 2008 HipHopDX Award for "The Humdinger" <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/editorials/id.1281/title.2008-hiphopdx-awards |title=2008 HipHopDX Awards | Discussing Lil' Wayne, Drake & Many More Hip Hop Artists | HipHopDX |access-date=2012-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408144240/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/editorials/id.1281/title.2008-hiphopdx-awards |archive-date=2015-04-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===2011=== * 2011 SEA Award for "The Pursuit Of Nappyness" – Album of the Year nomination <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.southernentawards.com/uploads/2011_SEA%20Ballot_Official.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721232351/http://www.southernentawards.com/uploads/2011_SEA%20Ballot_Official.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also== *Afro-textured hair

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.nappyroots.com/ Official site] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150801224253/http://nappydotorg.com/ Official Nappy Dot Org site] * [http://www.myspace.com/nappyrootsmusic Nappy Roots] at Myspace * [https://www.bandsintown.com/a/1086-nappy-roots Nappy Roots on BandsInTown] * [https://atlantucky.com/ Atlantucky Brewing] * {{Discogs artist}}

Category:Southern hip-hop groups Category:Musical groups from Kentucky Category:Musicians from Bowling Green, Kentucky Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Musical groups established in 1995 Category:Alternative hip-hop groups Category:1995 establishments in Kentucky