It’s been over two decades since Nelly released the music video for their 2002 hit “Dilemma,” but one moment from the video continues to puzzle, and amuse, fans around the world: Kelly Rowland attempting to send a text message using Microsoft Excel.
The seemingly minor scene has taken on a life of its own, transforming into a long-running internet meme and the subject of countless fan theories and social media jokes. Now, Kelly Rowland is weighing in on the infamous moment, and her answer is as candid as it is relatable.
Speaking to Elle, the star said “I don’t know whose brilliant idea it was to text on Microsoft Excel,” Rowland said in a recent interview. “But it chases me everywhere I go.”
In the now-iconic scene, Rowland’s character is shown checking her phone and appearing to send a message to Nelly — her love interest in the video — by typing into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The moment, though brief, left fans scratching their heads. How exactly was she expecting to communicate via a spreadsheet?
“I was given the device, it had this on it, and here we are in the video,” Rowland explained. “They’re like, ‘Oh, we need a shot of it.’ I was like, ‘I guess this is right.’ And here we are 25 years later.”
The moment may have been a small, behind-the-scenes oversight, but Rowland says she’s still asked about it constantly — even all these years later.
“Why are you texting them, man? I don’t know,” she laughed. “People ask me that a lot. No, I’m literally asked that every week.”
While the moment has become a pop culture oddity, it also speaks to the early 2000s aesthetic and the rapid evolution of technology in music videos. Back then, using any sort of digital interface, however inaccurately, was often seen as futuristic or cutting-edge. Today, the scene serves as a nostalgic reminder of how far we’ve come and how quickly viewers notice every detail.
In the past, Rowland mentioned to Mythical Kitchen: “I’m actually mad at them that they didn’t because they made me look nuts,” Rowland said, laughing.
Rowland added that the moment doesn’t even make sense in the video’s narrative, in which her character grows frustrated that Nelly doesn’t immediately respond to her text.
“What did you expect?” she asks, looking toward the camera but addressing herself. “It’s just a draft, my dear.”
