Nelly, crew and guests rush at Lawlor

With an appreciative crowd rocking the building, rap superstar Nelly led an energetic hip-hop show Friday night at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Lawlor Events Center.

The St. Louis rapper headlined Summer Jam ‘08, which featured his bandmates, known collectively as The St. Lunatics, as well as three other up-and-coming acts.

The area directly in front of the stage was standing room only, leaving the mostly young and ethnically-diverse crowd room to roam around and dance along to the beats.

Nelly, a three-time Grammy Award winner, is one of several rappers who has parlayed musical success into a fashion line, Vokal, and starred in the remake of the film “The Longest Yard.”

He took the stage with his crew- Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, City Spud, and Slo’Down. Several members of the group stayed true to their roots by wearing St. Louis Cardinals hats as well as the customary “bling” jewelry.

Nelly took every chance to remind his fans of his new album, “Brass Knuckles”, which hits stores Tuesday, by having them shout the title whenever he said “September 16.”

But his set largely included his hits from his previous four releases- his debut album “Country Grammar”, “Nellyville” and the double release “Sweat” and “Suit” - as well as other artists’ songs on which he is featured.

Among such Nelly classics he sang Friday were “E.I.” , “Shake Your Tailfeather” , “Where the Party At” and “Ride Wit Me.”

Nelly and his crew also sang their two odes to Nike sneakers with “Air Force Ones” and “Stepped on my J’Z.”

The show even included a free-flow rap battle between the group’s members.

The night’s opening act was Down AKA Kilo, a Chicano rapper from Oxnard, California. Down AKA Kilo had the crowd moving their elbows from side to side, following a line in his hit song “Lean Like A Cholo.”

Next up was Keak Da Sneak. an Oakland rapper who is credited with coining the name “hyphy” for the Bay Area hip-hop movement. Keak Da Sneak performed his radio hits, including “That Go” and “Tell Me When To Go”, originally performed with E-40.

David Banner gets points as the unofficial crowd favorite for spending more running on the arena floor and up into the seats than on the stage and taking a couple of them with him on stage. Banner, from Mississippi, is known for his sexy hit “Play.”

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