When Miley Cyrus revealed the tracklist for Bangerz earlier this week, we learned that she’d been getting busy with several famous friends, including Britney Spears, Big Sean and Nelly.
In recent months, Nelly’s been riding high on the success of another collaboration: his cameo on Florida Georgia Line’s crossover smash “Cruise.” And, from the sound of things, his contribution to Bangerz — a track called “4×4” — doesn’t stray all that far from “Cruise’s” country roots.
“It’s kind of a country, hip-hop, pop feel, if you can believe that,” Nelly told MTV News. “It’s about having fun; kind of how a 4×4 truck symbolizes rebelliousness … you know, mashing out, wanting to ride with the bad boys. It’s a dope track.”
Nelly said that Miley does “a little rapping and a little singing” on the Pharrell-produced track, and he was quick to compliment her skills on the mic. She may have grown up with a County-crooning father, but it seems her hip-hop knowledge runs deeper than most realize.
“She grew up with hip hop. Hip hop is a way of life, she’s not a rapper but she loves hip hop. It’s about how she expresses herself,” he explained. “I know a lot of kids her age that are just like her; they grew up loving this music. People act like they want her to be 30 years old; she’s not even 21, she has no kids, she’s been working with Disney for her whole life, she wants to have some fun.”
And though Nelly’s aware that Cyrus has been criticized for her antics — “I’ve heard all about it, how could you not?” he laughed — he’s got no problem with the way Miley’s living her life or handling her career. In fact, he thinks it’s rather brilliant, actually.
“People have to remember she’s young, and if she is going to have fun at any level, it would be now. Everybody forgets the dumb s— they did when they were her age, so they need to chill,” he said. “Somebody’s been telling Miley what to do until she got to a certain age, so now she’s like ‘The hell with everybody.’ And half the time I think she’s doing it just to piss people off, and it’s working! They’re playing into her hands.”
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