Nelly was arrested at a local casino on Wednesday morning in the St. Louis area.
The Post confirmed with the Missouri State Highway Patrol that the rapper, 49, was taken into custody for possession of four ecstasy pills and for not having insurance.
A spokesperson with the highway patrol told us that Nelly was arrested inside the Hollywood Casino in St. Charles, Missouri, at 4:45 a.m. after an identification verification check was run on the three-time Grammy winner. This is something that is occasionally done in Missouri casinos in accordance with the state’s gaming commission regulations.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol found an outstanding warrant for lack of insurance from a previous highway stop. When officers searched Nelly — whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. — they discovered the ecstasy pills on him.
The spokesperson shared that the Missouri State Highway Patrol was already onsite at the casino in accordance with Missouri Gaming Commission’s regulations. They explained that several things can trigger the verification check; however, they don’t believe it was triggered by any criminal activity on Nelly’s part.
He was booked at the Maryland Heights Police Department and later released.
The Post can confirm that Nelly has not been charged yet, but he will likely face the music with prosecutors when the police submit the paperwork. It will be up to the prosecutors whether to bring charges against him.
The rapper — known for hits like “Hot In Herre,” “Ride Wit Me,” “Pimp Juice,” “Country Grammar,” and more — appeared to smirk in his mugshot while wearing a black hoodie with a white shirt and diamond chain.
KRCG news in Missouri was first to report about his arrest.
The Post has reached out to Nelly’s team for comment.
Nelly secretly married his on-again, off-again love Ashanti in December 2023. The pair is currently expecting their first child together, who is due this summer.
Ashanti confirmed the rumors that she was pregnant in April.
“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation,” the “Foolish” singer, 43, told Essence magazine at the time. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience.”
This baby will be Ashanti’s first and Nelly’s third. He’s also a father to his daughter, Chanelle, 29, and son, Cornell Haynes III, 24, whom he shares with his ex, Channetta Valentine.
Nelly and Ashanti famously dated from 2003 to 2013 before they reunited in 2023.
In 2022, she shared with The Post why her relationship with Nelly didn’t last the first time.
“There were good times, and there were times where it was hard . . . just traveling so much and living in two different states,” Ashanti said. “Our careers were, like, taking off back then. It was really hard to try and just do everything.”
