Country rapper Nelly was honored with the Landmark Award at the iHeartRadio Awards in Los Angeles on Monday March 17 – but his moment in the spotlight was unexpectedly cut for a commercial.
The singer returned to the stage to perform a medley of hits at the annual ceremony, including “Hot in Herre” and “Country Grammar,” and after his explosive performance his wife and R&B star Ashanti joined him onstage to hand over the honor.
But as he accepted the award, the show – airing on Fox – cut to a commercial break and viewers only saw him exclaim “wow!” as he took the statue.
A clip on YouTube titled “Nelly Accepts The Landmark Award At The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards” showed Ashanti’s speech, sharing how he became one of the bestselling hip-hop artists of all time, “creating a movement and shaping a culture”.
“Get over here, shorty,” Nelly could be heard telling Ashanti before the show cut for commercial.
© Getty Images for iHeartRadioNelly was the only award recipient during the live show to not have his speech aired.
HELLO! has contacted iHeartRadio and Fox for comment.
© Getty Images for iHeartRadioThe 12th annual awards show celebrated the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2024.
Lady Gaga was honored with the 2025 iHeartRadio Innovator Award, Mariah Carey was handed the 2025 iHeartRadio Icon Award, and Gracie Abrams received the 2025 iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award.
© Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeTaylor Swift won eight awards and also accepted the Tour of the Century Award via video, while also sharing a brand new video of her performing “Mirrorball” from the first night of The Eras Tour on March 17, 2023.
Nelly and Ashanti welcomed their baby boy on July 18, named Kareem Kenkaide Hayes. “The proud and happy parents are so in love with KK!” a rep for the pair shared at the time.
© WireImageNelly and Ashanti first met in 2003 however they never confirmed a relationship until Ashanti talked about their break-up during a 2015 appearance on The Meredith Vieira Show. They rekindled their romance in 2023 and got married on December 27 that same year.
Nelly, whose birth name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., is also a father to daughter Chanelle, born in 1994, and Cornell Hayes III, born in 1999, whom he shares with ex-girlfriend Channetta Valentine.
He has also adopted his sister Jackie Donahue’s kids, Shawn and Sydney Thomas, after she passed away in 2005 following a battle with leukemia.
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