ST. LOUIS, MO  [Thursday Feb.24.2005]  /Mix103FM.com/ -- St. Louis rapper Nelly recently made a substantial donation to a Martin Luther King Jr. charity. In an interview with AllHipHop.com, Nelly was asked why Dr. King was important to him.

Explains Nelly, "My whole life I have been learning about Dr. King and that is something that is embedded in our minds. We as black people have very few world icons and Dr. King was definitely one of them. He is one like if you have to do an essay you would do it on Dr. King or Malcolm X, because you are enthused about that."

Nelly adds that Dr. King's message of unity was important to him. Says Nelly, "With Dr. King, you definitely believed what he was saying as far as the unity thing and time to over come...He is the only brother we have a national holiday for. So that in itself speaks volumes. I wanted to contribute to his legacy...I definitely feel like he has made this country what it is today."

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