St. Louis Black and White Ball Hosted By Nelly Is Making A Comeback

Star-studded celebrity gala, The Black and White Ball, hosted by St. Louis rapper Nelly, is officially making its return on December 3rd. From 2006 to 2016, Nelly would host his annual black-tie affair with the leading intention of giving back to his hometown. The 2023 event will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, and the funds raised will go towards Make-A-Wish-Missouri. In addition, the event will assist in funding scholarships to local students to attend HBCU Harris-Stowe State University, which is committed to supplying a higher quality education to those of distressed communities.

According to RiverFront Times, Nelly made an official statement regarding the upcoming event. “The Black and White Ball has always been a chance for our city to be upfront for something positive. A nice time, with nice music, while making a difference. There are people out here who do care. That’s never changed. Now we’re bringing it back for an 11th time. It’s gonna be a vibe and a great way to give back this holiday season.”

This year’s exceptional event will honor St. Louis Cardinal Ozzie Smith, who also happens to be a 15-time MLB All-Star and Baseball Hall-of Famer. With past attendees such as Allen Iverson, Janet Jackson, Ashanti and Jermaine Dupri, it’s certain that the event will draw celebrities from all over. During the last celebration back in 2016, the affair was headlined by T-Pain alongside St. Louis’ beloved Dirty Muggs and Chan Soprano. 

Rekindling his relationship with his lover of ten years, Ashanti, the pair has been all smiles since they reunited and anticipation is built to see them pop out for the gala. The couple had been in a relationship since 2003 and called it quits in 2013. During a Verzuz between Ja Rule and Fat Joe in 2021, both Ashanti and Nelly were brought out as guest performers, which happened to be news to Ashanti because she didn’t know he’d be there. At one point, when Nelly walked across the stage to get to Ashanti, fans knew that there was still a spark between the two. 

Seeing the couple grow and become more in love, it was announced they were even coming out with a song together. On November 28th, Jermaine Dupri posted to Instagram a video of him and the pair debating the rules of the jump rope game Double Dutch but included a caption that shared the two would soon be coming out with a collab that features Juicy J.

“Although we talking bout double Dutch, this a NEW RECORD ALERT !!”  JD wrote. “Got @nelly @ashanti & @juicyj on the way !!” 

The Black and White Ball is produced and brought to you by Derrty Entertainment and SYNERGY Productions LLC. The event is also invite-only.

More information can be found at www.blackwhiteballstl.com.