Nappy Roots is a well known Southern hip hop group from Kentucky, which have been active since its formation in 1995. Their1998 self-released album, "Country Fried Cess", created a huge buzz for the young group, and they were eventually signed toAtlantic Records in 2000. Their first major album, 2002's "Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz", became the best-selling hip hop album of2002, and Nappy Roots quickly became poster-boys of the Southern hip hop boom of the early 2000's. However, Nappy Rootsended up leaving Atlantic in 2005, and have been independent artists ever since.