Nelly wrote the song “Dilemma,” which also features Kelly Rowland.
It was made available on June 25, 2002, as the lead single from Rowland’s first solo studio album, Simply Deep, and the second single from Nelly’s second studio album, Nellyville (2002).
The song is a call-and-answer call-and-response pop and R&B ballad using a sample of the Patti LaBelle song “Love, Need and Want You” from 1983.
The song’s lyrics depict a man who is enamored with a woman who is devoted to another man.
Together with Kenneth Gamble and Bunny Sigler, the authors of “Love, Need and Want You,” Nelly, Antoine “Bam” Macon, and Ryan Bowser wrote “Dilemma.”
Music critics gave “Dilemma” largely positive reviews and appreciated the duet’s emotional balance.
After taking the place of Nelly’s previous single “Hot in Here” on the chart, it reached its peak at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for 10 nonconsecutive weeks.
Additionally, the song was the number-one song in Germany, Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
At the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, “Dilemma” was nominated for Record of the Year and won Best Rap/Sung Performance.
Benny Boom directed the corresponding music video, which was made available in September 2002.
The scene, which was recorded on Colonial Street and featured Larry Hughes and Patti LaBelle, shows Nelly feeling attracted to Rowland, his new neighbor, despite the latter’s relationship.
