Police arrested rapper Nelly early Saturday after a woman said he raped her in a town outside Seattle — an accusation the Grammy winner’s attorney staunchly denied.
Auburn, Washington, police spokesman Cmdr. Steve Stocker said Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., was in jail Saturday after being arrested in his tour bus at a Walmart. He will have his first appearance before a judge “at some point,” said Stocker. Nelly was scheduled to perform in Ridgefield, Washington, on Saturday night.
Nelly performed at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn on Friday night. He’s on tour with Florida Georgia Line.
Nelly’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, called the rape claim a “completely fabricated allegation.”
“Our initial investigation clearly establishes this allegation is devoid of credibility and is motivated by greed and vindictiveness. I am confident, once this scurrilous accusation is thoroughly investigated, there will be no charges. Nelly is prepared to address and pursue all legal avenues to redress any damage caused by this clearly false allegation,” Rosenblum said in an email.
Nelly is a three-time Grammy winner, including for the song “Hot in Herre,” which won the best male rap solo performance award in 2003.
The singer is also known for the hits “My Place” and “Over and Over.” He appeared in the 2005 film The Longest Yard.
The following year, he shared a Grammy for the song “Shake Ya Tailfeather” with Murphy Lee and Sean Combs.
Nelly responded to the arrest on Twitter on Saturday afternoon, saying, “I do want to apologize to my loved ones for the embarrassment and for putting myself in a situation where I could be victimized by this false and defaming allegation.” The rapper then went on to thank his fans for their “unwavering support.”
Oct. 7, 3:18 p.m., Oct. 8, 12:28 p.m. Updated with Nelly’s tweets.
