So I saw that new Nelly video (Nelly/Kelly, I think?). What’s up with that piece of what looks to be white surgical tape on his cheek? Is it supposed to make him look tough, like he’s been fighting recently? Did he have a zit he needed to cover? Is it a secret gangsta symbol? Is it white duct tape he’s using to get rid of a wart?
I think it’s his individual style… like rolling up one leg of their pants or wearing their baseball cap (or visor) not forward or backwards, but 3/4 forwards.
One could argue that the music is not good enough that they need to have a gimmick. I don’t necessarily believe that, but you could still argue it 
The Band-Aid on the cheek is nothing new; Bobby Brown sported one for a while many years ago, and perhaps others have as well in the intervening years. It’s just supposed to be, as fatdave says, to make it his own look. And if you’re going to start a trend, you might as well make it one that makes it look like you’re a tough guy, who’s recently been in a scuffle of some sort.
Okay, upon further online searching, it looks like:
The St. Lunatics are Nelly’s backup group and posse (named as such because they’re all from St. Louis).
Jeez, sorry to post 3 times to one thread, but I forgot to include the link to that explanation – which also has a picture of Nelly with the bandage on his left cheek.
I read in another thread in GQ that he said he had it for a basketball injury, but just kept wearing it for no reason afterward.
Which story is the one fabricated for the media? The one above seems a little “packaged for the media” to me.
Good digging, guys.
Probably he (a) had a basketball injury, so wore a band-aid (b) kept wearing it for no reason © eventually invented a reason to justify continuing to wear it (the “message” to his St. Lunatic).