Fresh off the dog of “ Hot in Herre , ” Nelly blessed the public with yet another hit:“Dilemma . ”The R&B vocal was released in June 2002 and boast Kelly Rowland as a cleaning woman smitten with Nelly despite being in a relationship with someone else . The song is a raw material in Y2 K music culture , and today is actually a special anniversary—20 year ago , the song reachednumber 1 on the Billboard Hot 100for the first of ten weeks .
“ But Kevin , ” I hear you say , “ What does this have to do with tech ? ” This is a valid question , since Gizmodo is a tech - focused web site after all . Well , may I please direct your aid to the music video for Dilemma ?
It ’s a typical will - they - habit - they game , until Kelly Rowland does the unimaginable . In a bid to generate an overt and intelligent line of communication with Nelly , Rowland opts to send a simple text . “ WHERE YOU AT ? HOLLA WHEN YOU GET THIS ” Rowland types into her cell earphone ’s spreadsheet app . Rowland is then visibly distraught that Nelly is ghost her , despite the fact that he 1 ) could not in reality have her spreadsheet schoolbook message and 2 ) is stand flop outside her windowpane .
“WHERE YOU AT? HOLLA WHEN YOU GET THIS” Rowland types into a spreadsheet.Gif: Gizmodo/UMG Recordings, Inc.
Rowland is using a Nokia 9210 Communicator , which was an early smartphone that could flip open lengthwise to bring out a full keyboard and a color screen . Other , similar cubicle phones loose around that fourth dimension admit the LG enV and the T - Mobile Sidekick . It ’s not supremely clean-cut if Rowland is using Microsoft Excel , or the Communicator ’s work up - in spreadsheet app , but Nelly explained ina 2016 interviewwith Australia ’s The Project that texting via spreadsheet “ was the thing at the time . ” I just do not believe him , and a brief opinion poll of those in our newsroom with cell phone in 2002 lends believability that this does n’t appear to have been “ the thing at the time . ”
The euphony video for the song is a will to the kitschy production choices made in former 2000 ’s music videos , but this particular mo will live in our hearts forever as a reminder of open and true communication — perchance on Google Sheets this time ?
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