Nelly proclaimed his innocence Saturday night, just hours after he was arrested on suspicion of second-degree rape.
The 42-year-old rapper posted a series of tweets in which he thanked his fans for their support as he pursues legal options to fight the recent accusations. He also apologized to his loved-ones for the embarrassment the "false and defaming allegation" has caused.
Nelly was taken into custody Saturday morning after a woman told authorities he had sexually assaulted her on a tour bus. The alleged incident took place shortly after Nelly’s concert in Auburn, Washington.
The rapper’s attorney Scott Rosenblum and manager Juliette Harris told USA Today that Nelly has since been released without being charged.
"Nelly is the victim of a completely fabricated allegation," Rosenblum wrote in an email to the publication. "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."
Harris also announced Nelly has canceled his performance in Ridgefield, Washington, tonight. It's unclear if he will complete the rest of his tour dates.
Shortly after news of Nelly’s arrest broke, a video taken at his Friday night concert began circulating on social media. And let’s just say the show got extremely creepy.
The footage shows the rapper holding hands with a little girl he pulled from the audience. He then leans into the visibly nervous child and begins asking a series of questions that underscore just how young she is: "How you doing? You OK? Have you started school already? Do you like your teacher?" Nelly, then tells the girl to face him, gets uncomfortably close, and begins singing "Over and Over" while twirling the her hair in a sensual manner. Watch the video below.
Apparently, this isn’t the first time Nelly has done this disturbing stunt.
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