DX: The other thing that is little discussed about you is that you do a lot of philanthropy work.
Nelly: See, that ain’t appealing to people.

DX: Well, let’s make that appealing.
Nelly: I tried to. But I don’t do that for the appeal. I don’t give a fuck about what the masses think. All I care about are the kids I see in the Cancer wards and the burn wards. I bring smiles to their faces when I visit them. I feed 1500 families through Feed the Children. We hold bone marrow drives and we’ve found donors for seven people and helped save seven lives. So to all the people that are critical of me, how many lives have you saved? You want to talk about Nelly, but what are you doing in your community? It’s crazy because all the people that criticize me probably don’t have ten hours of community service served in their lifetime. I have thousands!

DX: Why do you think they ignore it though?
Nelly: Because it’s not news worthy. The same reason why we don’t stress the good in Hip Hop, but we stress the bad. The same reason why there are some people that will say that Hip Hop is a poison to black people. How the hell can you say that the largest employer of black people on this planet is a poison? How the fuck can you say that? You want to talk about ignorance? Not just rap, not just music. There’s producers, cameramen, magazines, clothing lines, anything. All of that is from Hip Hop. We have employed millions and millions of people. My daughter goes to one of the best schools in St. Louis, all because of Hip Hop! We have doctors and lawyers who are Hip Hop! How can you say that this culture is a poison? That’s the wackest shit ever! How can you not say that the government is not a poison to black people? How can you not say that drugs are a poison to black people? Poverty and the high unemployment rate? How can you not say that those are a poison, yet, you can say that the music that came from nothing and made into something and has provided for so many families is a poison?

DX: Let’s get into your album. Last year you did the BET Hip Hop Awards and it seemed like that it was at that time you were making your comeback. But then the album stalled a little bit. What was going on?
Nelly: The thing was that I had to take care of my business with the label. Here my album is, but you [the label] are going to pay me. I gotta get mine! If I don’t make them give it to me now, why would you give it to me later? I don’t want to take that chance with my business. Trust you [the label]? No, trust me! You can afford to fuck up! I can’t afford to. If you fuck up, you’re going to find another hot artist to put some money behind to make some money. If I fuck up, I’m done!

DX: How much more life do you have in this game?
Nelly: As much as my fans allow me. I’m not trying to stretch it out and milk anything. If I feel like I can’t contribute, then I’m done?

DX: Are you concerned about sales at all? Record sales are down big since the last time you released an album.
Nelly: Let me tell you something. I could sell two records with this album, who has sold more than me total? Okay then, that ain’t shit to me. Even if one of my albums didn’t do the best, I mean come on, Michael Jordan didn’t win a ring every year. It’s just one of those scenarios. Everything isn’t going to be your best work. But you keep trying and busting your balls and keep showing people that you are just as relevant as you were before.