The Minnesota Twins will be continuing their popular feature of postgame concerts in 2025, and on Monday announced the first act.
While the Twins will open in late March in St. Louis, they’ll welcome a rapper whose heart is always in STL MO — three-time Grammy-winning artist Nelly.
Nelly, born Cordell Haynes Jr., will perform for fans after the Twins take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:10 PM at Target Field on July 11. Tickets are available right now.
Nelly began his musical career as part of the St. Lunatics, a St. Louis-based hip-hop group back in the mid-90s, but embarked on a solo career with his 2000 release of the critically-acclaimed Country Grammar album.
That album featured smash hits like the title track, “Ride wit Me,” “E.I.” and the baseball-adjacent “Batter Up.”
Beyond his debut album, Nelly has also released Nellyville in 2002 (featuring “Hot in Herre,” “Air Force Ones” and “Dilemma” with Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child) and a dual album in 2005 called Sweatsuit (a compilation album of Sweat and Suit, which were released separately).
Sweatsuit included the release of “Over and Over” which was a change of pace for Nelly as a duet with country superstar Tim McGraw. The song got as high as No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was a change of pace for both artists, but a well-regarded blending of styles across the board (it was certified platinum in 2009).
Nelly has also performed in a Super Bowl Halftime show — the much-maligned XXXVIII show that featured Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and the coining of the phrase “wardrobe malfunction” — and has even dipped his toes in acting, notably in the 2005 remake of “The Longest Yard” with Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and Burt Reynolds as well as an appeared on the 29th season of “Dancing with the Stars” with partner Daniella Karagach in 2020.
Nelly and Karagach finished third.
Nelly, who turned 50 in November — how old does that make you feel reading this? — married R&B superstar Ashanti in 2023, and their first child was born last summer.
In addition to concert access, which will begin 20 minutes after the game ends, fans can purchase VIP postgame concert ticket packages here which include added perks including on-field access.
Other tour dates are listed on Nelly’s website here.
Last season, the Twins welcomed Flo Rida, a hip-hop performer who was actually the artist responsible for Brian Dozier’s walk-up song in 2016 as well as country superstar Chris Young. In 2023, T-Pain and Carly Pearce performed postgame concerts, as well.
