Nelly arrested for possession of controlled substance, failure to appear

Nelly has landed in hot water with the law once again.

Born Cornell Haynes Jr., the 49-year-old rapper was arrested by the Maryland Police Department during the early hours of Wednesday, August 7, for failing to appear on an old traffic charge.

According to arrest records reviewed by People Magazine, the arrest occurred around 5 a.m. after the State of Missouri Highway Patrol, Gaming Division, received him at the Hollywood Casino.

The arrest was initially for possession of a controlled substance, as he was allegedly found with four ecstasy pills, and a charge of having no insurance.

This is not the first time Nelly has faced legal troubles.

In October 2017, he was arrested after Monique Greene accused him of sexual assault on his tour bus in Washington. Nelly's lawyer vehemently denied the allegations, labelling them as “a completely fabricated allegation.” The case was dropped in September 2019 when Greene refused to testify.

Additionally, in April 2015, Nelly was arrested on drug charges in Tennessee, including felony possession. He ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanour charges of marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession, which were later cleared from his record after he completed a diversion program.