Kelly Rowland Reveals Using Microsoft Excel to Text Nelly in 'Dilemma' Video Was a Crazy Moment

Kelly Rowland Recalls Texting Nelly via Excel

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Two decades later, Kelly Rowland still chuckles when she recalls a not-so-tech-savvy incident from her 2002 "Dilemma" music video with Nelly.

Despite winning a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Performance for the song, what stands out most to many is the amusing moment when she tried to reach out to the rapper using a spreadsheet.

Rowland, who is 43 years old, expressed his frustration during the Saturday, March 2, episode of Mystical Kitchen’s Last Meal series. He mentioned the criticism he receives, saying, "Oh, my God, do you know how much flack I get from that?"

Host Josh Scherer made a joke that added to the flack Rowland receives. Scherer apologized, saying, "I'm sorry to be one of the people adding to that." Rowland, however, reassured him, saying, "Oh, it's alright. I'm so used to it now."

In a famous moment, Rowland attempted to reach Nelly, aged 49, by sending a message through Microsoft Excel on her phone that said, "WHERE YOU AT? HOLLA WHEN YOU GET THIS." When he received no response, she ended up dropping the phone in frustration. Over the years, this scene has spawned numerous memes and jokes on social media.

Kelly Rowland Recalls Texting Nelly via Excel

Scherer asked Rowland on Saturday if anyone on set had questioned her use of Excel for texting. Rowland replied that no one had, expressing some frustration that they didn't because it made her look silly.

Scherer remembered how upset you were when he didn't reply to your text. Rowland playfully joked that her video character was simply rehearsing.

"What were you thinking? It's only a rough version, my dear," she teased.

The clip from Rowland's Last Meal interview sparked a lot of discussion about the "Dilemma" video. One fan even said, "This was a pop culture moment I'll always remember."

During a 2019 interview on The Real, Rowland had talked about the "Dilemma" video. Host Jeannie Mai had asked her to explain why she tried to send Nelly a message through Excel.

So here's the deal, alright? I have no idea what that is. I don't know what Microsoft Excel is," Rowland admitted. She mentioned that she noticed people making jokes about the video on social media, but it didn't bother her because she was clueless about it.

Rowland also mentioned that the producers of the clip thought that using Excel for texting was a great idea.

Nelly defended the Excel text in a 2016 interview on The Project but admitted that the Excel usage wasn’t the most timeless choice. “It looks a little dated now,” he said. “I can see that.”

Editor's P/S:

The "Dilemma" music video incident, where Kelly Rowland attempted to text Nelly using Microsoft Excel, has become an iconic pop culture moment. While initially criticized for her tech-savviness, Rowland has embraced the humor, recognizing its widespread appeal. The fact that no one on set questioned her use of Excel adds to the amusement and highlights the disconnect between the intended purpose of the software and its creative use in the video.

This incident serves as a reminder of the ever-changing nature of technology and how seemingly mundane tasks can take on new meaning in unexpected contexts. It also underscores the importance of embracing mistakes and finding humor in them, as they can often lead to memorable and enduring moments in popular culture. However, with the advancement of smartphones and messaging apps, it's easy to see how the use of Excel for texting would be outdated. The article serves as a reminder that what may seem cutting-edge at one time can quickly become obsolete as technology progresses.