Nelly Arrested On Multiple Charges, Including Ecstasy Possession

Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes II, has been arrested on drug charges once again.

Over the course of his career, has had a relatively low-profile history with drugs compared to some other celebrities. However, there have been a few notable incidents, with the most recent being on Wednesday, August 7.

According to an arrest report, Nelly was busted for possession of ecstasy pills and not having insurance.

The "Hot in Herre" rapper was taken into custody after being pulled over in Maryland Heights, a suburb outside St. Louis, Nelly's hometown, according to TMZ.

Nelly was taken into custody at 4:45 a.m. Wednesday and booked at the Maryland Heights Police Department, but he has since been released.

Maryland Heights Police confirmed the rapper had an outstanding traffic summons on August 7.

This is not the first time Nelly has been busted for drug possession. In 2001, the rapper was arrested in St. Louis on drug-related charges after he was reportedly found with a small amount of marijuana and was briefly detained before being released.

In 2009, Nelly faced legal issues once again after police discovered drugs and weapons on his tour bus. During a traffic stop in Sierra Blanca, Texas, authorities found marijuana, methamphetamine, and a loaded firearm. Nelly was not charged with drug possession himself but was cited for having the contraband on his bus.

For the next ten years, Nelly mostly stayed out of the headlines for drug-related issues--until his recent arrest for possession of ecstasy pills.

In October 2017, Nelly found himself in the midst of a legal storm when he was arrested and charged with second-degree rape. The allegations came from Monique Greene, a then-22-year-old college student, who accused the rapper of assaulting her on his tour bus just before a highly anticipated performance with Florida Georgia Line.

In December of the same year, Greene took legal action against Nelly, suing the “Hot in Herre” rapper for sexual assault and defamation after he publicly denied her accusations. The lawsuit not only included Greene's claims but also introduced allegations from two anonymous women in England.

“I do NOT plan on walking away quietly,” Nelly had said in a statement at the time. “I have to speak up for my family and for the real victims strong enough to come forward and face people that have actually assaulted them. I want to thank [my girlfriend] Shantel, my family, friends, and fans that have stood next to me through all of this, and know my real character.”

The two other women alleged that Nelly groped them and masturbated in front of them after they had been invited to join him and his entourage in 2016 and 2017.

In response, Nelly filed a countersuit in January 2018, denying the allegations and labeling them as “completely fabricated” in a bid to follow-up Greene’s claims. By September, it was reported that Nelly and Greene had reached a mutual settlement, bringing the contentious legal battle to a close.

Following the dismissal, Nelly released a statement obtained by People Magazine. “I am very thankful to the U.K. police for thoroughly investigating the false allegations against me and I am satisfied with the results of this case and the previous one in the U.S., both driven by the same attorney, both being dropped,” Nelly said.

“I stand with women and real survivors and can’t wait to just focus on what I love, family, music and reconnecting with the fans that have stood by me through these turbulent times,” the rapper added.

Despite the legal issues, Nelly was awarded the I Am Hip Hop Award at the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards “for his massive contributions to music and the culture at large,” according to Daily Beast.

“I am honored to receive this award and humbled to be in such great company of past artists who have received this award,” Nelly said in a statement after winning the award. “I have been blessed to work with some incredible people in my career, making 22 years go by in the blink of an eye. This award isn’t just about Nelly; it is about my fans, BET, and the people that continue to support me and allow me to do what I love to do.”