Ride wit Me

"Ride wit Me"
Single by Nelly featuring City Spud
from the album Country Grammar
B-side
  • "Come Over"
  • "Icey"
ReleasedFebruary 13, 2001 (2001-02-13)
StudioUnique (New York City)
Genre
Length
  • 4:51 (album version)
  • 4:13 (radio edit)
Label
ComposerJason "Jay E" Epperson
Lyricists
ProducerJason "Jay E" Epperson
Nelly singles chronology
"E.I."
(2000)		 "Ride wit Me"
(2001)		 "Where the Party At"
(2001)
Music video
"Ride wit Me" on YouTube

"Ride wit Me" is a song by American rapper Nelly featuring City Spud. It was released on February 13, 2001, as the third single from Nelly's debut studio album, Country Grammar (2000). "Ride wit Me" peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked within the top 10 of the charts in Australia, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

Composition

"Ride wit Me" started out in 1999 as one of four demo songs shopped by Nelly to various record labels. All four (including "Country Grammar (Hot Shit)", "E.I." and "Batter Up") were released as singles from Country Grammar. The song was written by Nelly and Jason "Jay E" Epperson, and it interpolates the 1982 song "I Like It" by DeBarge, so William DeBarge, Etterline Jordan, and El DeBarge were also given writing credits.

Chart performance

In the United States, "Ride wit Me" became Nelly's highest-charting single at the time, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, "Ride wit Me" debuted and peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart on May 13, 2001—for the week ending date May 19, 2001—becoming Nelly's highest-charting song in Britain until October 2002, when his duet with Kelly Rowland, "Dilemma", became his first chart-topper on the UK Singles Chart.

Music video

Largely inspired by the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit, and also referencing the 1980s television comedy The Dukes of Hazzard and the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, the video (directed by Marc Klasfeld) sees Nelly and Ali driving to a dilapidated bar occupied by St. Lunatics members Kyjuan, Slo-Down and Murphy Lee to throw a party. Ali drives a Peterbilt 379 truck filled with women, while Nelly drives a 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am along a desert road, as the video follows their journey and eventual encounters with police, hitchhikers and other roadside incidents. The video culminates with their arrival and a party taking place outside the bar. Featured artist City Spud provides the third verse; however, due to being incarcerated, he does not appear in the music video; Nelly and the St. Lunatics lip-sync his lines. The video won Best Rap Video at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, also receiving a nomination for Viewer's Choice.

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Country Grammar liner notes.

Studios

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) Platinum 70,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) Gold 45,000‡
Germany (BVMI) Gold 250,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) 4× Platinum 120,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA) 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States February 13, 2001 Rhythmic contemporary radio
February 27, 2001 Contemporary hit radio
United Kingdom May 7, 2001
Australia September 3, 2001 CD

Covers and live performances

Nelly joined with country music duo Florida Georgia Line to perform "Ride wit Me" and the remix of their hit single "Cruise" at the 2013 American Music Awards.

Pop singer Slayyyter released a cover of the song on August 2, 2019.

References

  1. ↑ Molanphy, Chris (June 21, 2021). "Say My Name, Say My Name Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved February 13, 2024. ...the album's biggest hit Ride With Me was a pure pop confection, so driven by its melody, it seemed odd to call it rap at all.
  2. 1 2 Thompson, Paul (February 29, 2016). "Must Be The Money: Nelly's 'Ride Wit Me'". Forbes. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Country Grammar (US CD album liner notes). Fo' Reel Entertainment, Universal Records. 2001. 012157743-2.
  4. ↑ "Video Music Awards 2001: Photo Flipbooks". MTV. Archived from the original on September 17, 2001. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Video Music Awards 2001: Nominees". MTV. Archived from the original on September 17, 2001. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  6. ↑ Ride wit Me (UK CD single liner notes). Fo' Reel Entertainment, Universal Records. 2001. MCSTD 40252, 158963-2.
  7. ↑ Ride wit Me (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Fo' Reel Entertainment, Universal Records. 2001. MCST 40252, 158963-1.
  8. ↑ Ride wit Me (European CD single liner notes). Fo' Reel Entertainment, Universal Records. 2001. 158 819-2.
  9. ↑ Ride wit Me (Australian CD single liner notes). Fo' Reel Entertainment, Universal Records. 2001. 158 820-2.
  10. ↑ "Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  11. ↑ "The ARIA Report, Issue 605". ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Canadian Top 20 in 2001" (PDF). Cross Canada Countdown. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2005. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 23. June 2, 2001. p. 11. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Ride wit Me | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 28, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
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  23. ↑ "Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me". VG-lista. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 19/5/2001 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 19/5/2001 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Official Dance Singles Chart on 19/5/2001 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart on 19/5/2001 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Nelly Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  31. ↑ "Nelly Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  32. ↑ "Nelly Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  33. ↑ "Nelly Chart History (Rhythmic Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
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  35. ↑ "BDS CHART : Top 100 of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on July 1, 2002. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
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  38. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2001" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  39. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 2001" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  40. ↑ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  41. ↑ "Top 40 Urban Tracks Of 2001" (PDF). Music Week. January 19, 2002. p. 26. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  42. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 2001". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  43. ↑ "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2001". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 60.
  44. ↑ "Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2001". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 48.
  45. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  46. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
  47. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Nelly; 'Ride wit Me')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  48. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Nelly feat. City Spud – Ride wit Me". Radioscope. Retrieved July 21, 2025. Type Ride wit Me in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
  49. ↑ "British single certifications – Nelly ft City Spud – Ride wit Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 12, 2024. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Ride wit Me Nelly ft City Spud in the "Search:" field.
  50. ↑ "American single certifications – Nelly – Ride wit Me". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
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  55. ↑ "Florida Georgia Line, Nelly Perform at American Music Awards". The Boot. November 25, 2013.
  56. ↑ Song, Sandra (August 5, 2019). "Slayyyter Covers Nelly's 'Ride Wit Me'". Paper. Retrieved September 12, 2021.