The rapper was arrested in the St Louis area
Rapper Nelly was arrested in Missouri this morning (Wed, Aug 7th) for alleged drug possession and driving without insurance. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Nelly, whose legal name is Cornell Haynes II, was cuffed at Hollywood Casino in the Maryland Heights area of St. Louis around 4:45 am for possession of four ecstasy pills and an active warrant for no insurance from a previous stop in the city.
The 49-year-old St. Louis native was released a short time after his arrest.
The warrant was issued in December 2023, but Scott Rosenblum, an attorney for Nelly, tells Page Six the rapper was never notified of the warrant. Rosenblum says Nelly was cuffed and paraded through the casino after winning a jackpot when the arresting officer falsely told him they needed to run a background check before paying him out. That’s when the warrant was discovered. Rosenblum also states that the arresting officer searched Nelly without probable cause and claimed to have found the drugs among his belongings.
Rosenblum says Nelly has not been charged with drug possession at this time and is requesting an inquiry into the arresting officer’s conduct.
Nelly has won three Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, and seven Billboard Music Awards, among others, and maintains an active and far-reaching career across film, television, and music. Last year he sold his recorded assets to HarbourView Equity Partners for an undisclosed amount.
Nelly’s most iconic tracks include “Ride Wit Me,” “Dilemma” featuring Kelly Rowland, and smash hit “Hot in Herre.” “Hot in Herre” and “Dilemma” notably held the top spots on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven and ten weeks, respectively.
Recently, the St. Louis native expanded his music repertoire with Heartland, his eighth studio and first country-inspired album, earning his debut spot on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and highlighting Nelly’s versatility as an artist.
