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Rapper Nelly released after arrest on rape accusation near Seattle
Police arrested rapper Nelly early Saturday after a woman said he raped her on his tour bus in a town outside Seattle, an accusation the Grammy winner’s attorney staunchly denied.
Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., was arrested about 4:37 a.m. Saturday in his tour bus at a Walmart, Auburn police spokesman Commander Steve Stocker said.
The woman called 911 to report being sexually assaulted by Nelly on the tour bus, police said in a statement.
He will have his first appearance before a judge “at some point,” Stocker said. Nelly was scheduled to perform in Ridgefield, Washington, on Saturday night.
Nelly’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, said Saturday afternoon that the singer was released from jail pending the investigation, and he is expected to be at the Ridgefield show.
Nelly performed at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington, on Friday night. He’s on tour with Florida Georgia Line.
At 12:23 a.m. Saturday, after that show, he sent out a Tweet that said in part: “its (sic) really you against the whole world because the whole world don’t know you exist.”
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 was arrested in Tennessee in 2015 on felony drug possession charges after a trooper smelled marijuana on his bus. Nelly later pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor drug charges: possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, the district attorney said. Nelly agreed to a pretrial diversion, which means his record was later cleared, Rosenblum said.
Nelly is a three-time Grammy winner, including for the song “Hot in Herre,” which won the best male rap solo performance award in 2002.
The song has been sampled and re-recorded by other artists and is ranked No. 21 on a Rolling Stone magazine list of top summer songs. Nelly 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 is also a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets.
We Speak Actors
Joseph Nybyk Guests On “If These Walls Could Talk” With Hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026
Who else but hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss could “spill the tea” on their weekly show “If These Walls Could Talk” live from Pangea Restaurant on the Lower Eastside of NYC, with their unique style of honest, and emotional interviews, sharing the fascinating backstory of celebrities, entertainers, recording artists, writers and artists and bringing their audience along for a fantastic ride.
Joseph Nybyk will be a featured guest on “If These Walls Could Talk” with hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026 at 2 PM ET live from the infamous Pangea Restaurant.
Wendy Stuart is an author, celebrity interviewer, model, actor, filmmaker and along with If These Walls Could Talk, she hosts TriVersity Talk, a weekly web series with featured guests discussing their lives, activism and pressing issues in the LGBTQ Community.
Tym Moss is a popular NYC singer, actor, and radio/tv host who recently starred in the hit indie film “JUNK” to critical acclaim.
Joseph Nybyk is an award-winning writer, actor, director, and stand-up comedian with a career that bridges both the creative and business sides of Hollywood. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, he moved to Los Angeles in 1997 and began his career in the marketing department at Paramount Pictures before serving as a creative executive at Landmark Entertainment, where he worked under James Cameron and Michael Jackson. That early industry experience gave him a rare, inside-out understanding of how stories are made—and sold.
Joseph left the corporate world to pursue acting full-time after landing a role in Jerry Maguire, launching a performance career that includes over fifty national commercials and appearances across film and television. As a filmmaker, he has written, directed, and starred in numerous short films, web series, and independent features that have screened at festivals around the world. His work has earned awards for Best Film, Best Short, Best Screenplay, and Best Director, as well as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the provocative short The Day the Rabbit Died. His short Feeling Blessed got into virtually every faith based film festival and two Academy Award nominating festivals. He made this short back to back with a horror short titled Lights Off that got into 10 of the most prestigious horror film festivals in the world. His indie feature Ocean Front Property, which he wrote, directed, and starred in, marked his feature debut. He has since continued developing and financing original projects while optioning scripts to multiple producers.
A veteran of the stand-up comedy circuit, Joseph’s comedy blends sharp observation with personal storytelling, often drawing from his time bartending at the legendary Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. His routine has taken him to clubs, colleges, theaters, and casinos nationwide, and in 2025 he was named Best Comedian by Tucson Weekly. He is also the founder of the Faith in Film International Film Festival, dedicated to supporting meaningful, faith-driven storytelling. Joseph holds a Master’s degree in Film from the New York Film Academy. He is a proud alumnus of the University of Arizona and continues to balance performing, filmmaking, and developing original content from his home base in Arizona and California.
Watch Joseph Nybyk on “If These Walls Could Talk” with hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss on Youtube here:
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