I think you’re right in a way. Where I disagree is relating nu metal to pop rock bands like Aerosmith. Nu metal bands weren’t trying to imitate Aerosmith, they were combining Pantera and other metal bands with the form of hip hop that average kids of the time could relate to.
It was a thing people tried to do throughout the 90s. Rap/Metal mix.
Really it goes RunDMC < Judgement Night soundtrack< Cypress Hill< Limp Bizkit and everyone after.
Even Anthrax did it ’89 with ”I’m the Man”
and again in 1991 with Bring tha noise.
To say any Metal bands weren‘t emulating this, seems unfair to the hands that came before them.