Nelly Arrested for Possession of Ecstasy
Originally appeared on E! Online
Nelly is facing legal trouble in Missouri.
The "Hot In Herre" rapper was arrested early in the morning on Aug. 7 for possession of a controlled substance—four ecstasy pills—and not having insurance, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol arrest report viewed by E! News.
The arrest occurred at 4:45 AM in Nelly's hometown of St. Louis, M.O., and stemmed from a failure to appear for a warrant for a previous traffic charge of not having insurance, according Missouri State Highway Patrol via NBC News. The warrant violation was discovered when the 49-year-old was asked to show his ID to state troopers stationed at the Hollywood Casino in St. Charles, a Missouri State Highway Patrol told TMZ.
Afterward, Nelly—real name Cornell Haynes II—was searched, at which time officers claimed they found him in possession of the four ecstasy pills, per the outlet. The "Ride Wit Me" rapper was held at the Maryland Heights Police Department but has since been released.
Following the arrest, Nelly's attorney Scott Rosenblum spoke out on the incident, saying in an Aug. 7 statement to E! News that Nelly "was not charged with drug possession."
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Rosenblum claimed that the "Dilemma" rapper was "arrested for 'No Proof of Insurance' from 2018 on a warrant issued December 2023 that he received no notice" before alleging, "After winning several jackpots, at a venue where Mr. Haynes frequently visits and entertains at its amphitheater; instead of just supervising the transfer of Mr. Haynes' winnings, this officer felt compelled to needlessly run a check for warrants."
"This officer then conducted a search without probable cause," the attorney continued, "where he claimed to have found alleged 'ecstasy' in Mr. Haynes' personal property."
As for the arrest warrant, Rosenblum argued that because Nelly often travels internationally, he "is regularly asked to supply proof of no warrants" and "FBI checks," but this time, "There were none."
He concluded, "I am 100 percent confident this case will go nowhere. And we will be asking for an inquiry into this officer's conduct."
News of Nelly's arrest comes less than four months after he and Ashanti shared they were engaged and expecting their first child together. Shortly after, public records revealed the couple had privately tied the knot in December 2023, with the marriage becoming official in St. Louis County, according to TMZ.
The nuptials are part of a long history between Nelly and Ashanti, who first dated in the early aughts before separating in 2013. In September 2023, Nelly confirmed that they had rekindled their romance.
"I think it surprised both of us," he said on the Boss Moves with Rasheeda show. "But sometimes being separate, you understand one another more, where you could be like, 'Well, yo, let me exactly see, maybe, what they see.' 'Cause you know we all can be defensive sometimes in our own relationships. And we know we're wrong, but we're going to stand on it."
As for their baby? The new addition will be the first child for the couple and the third overall for Nelly, who is already dad to daughter Chanelle, 30, and son Cornell Haynes III, 25, with ex Channetta Valentine. He also adopted his sister Jackie Donahue's kids—Shawn and Sydney Thomas—after she died of cancer in 2005.
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