Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz by Nappy Roots

Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz, the Kentucky sextet Nappy Roots' first album for Atlantic, arrived on February 26, 2002, a few years after the crew had met as students at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green and put out Country Fried Cess on their own. Fish Scales, Skinny DeVille, B. Stille, Ron Clutch, R. Prophet and Big V pass the mic around like a collection plate, and James "Groove" Chambers handled most of the production, with sessions spread across Atlanta, Nashville, Los Angeles and San Diego.

It's Southern rap with the porch light on, warm, funny and rooted, with Anthony Hamilton and the Bar-Kays among the guests. "Awnaw", with Jazze Pha on vocals, was the rowdy lead single, and a remix featuring Marcos of P.O.D. landed in Madden 2003. "Po' Folks" and "Headz Up" kept the momentum going, and the record went platinum before 2002 was out.

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