Nelly
Nelly, pictured at Bud Light House of Whatever leading up to Super Bowl XLIX on January 31, 2015, was arrested for raping a woman while on tour. Getty Images

Rapper Nelly has finally broken his silence about the second-degree rape allegations made against him, HotNewHipHop (HNHH) reported.

In a series of tweets Saturday, the St. Louis-born rapper thanked his fans for their love and support and also apologized for the embarrassment that he has brought to them. At the same time, Nelly also maintained his innocence.

“Let me say that I am beyond shocked that I have been targeted with this false allegation. I am completely innocent, I am confident that once the facts are looked at, it will be very clear that I am the victim of a false allegation,” Nelly tweeted.

"I do want to apologize to my loved ones for the embarrassment and for putting myself in a situation where I could be victimized by this false and defaming allegation," he wrote in another tweet.

"In other words, Y'all know damn well I ain't do no dumb S--- like this..!! Love," Nelly wrote in one of the tweets.

“I also want to thank my fans for their unwavering support. They know me. I assure you I will be vindicated. And I assure you, I will pursue every legal option to address this defaming claim. Thank you,” his tweet read.

Hours after he was released, Nelly sent out another tweet informing his fans about his release.

“To be absolutely clear. I have not been charged with a crime, therefore, no bail was required. I was released, pending further investigation,” he wrote.

Nelly was arrested Saturday morning after a woman lodged a complaint against the rapper stating that he had sexually assaulted her on a tour bus after a show in Auburn, Washington, HNHH reported.

In an email to USA Today, his lawyer Scott Rosenblum said: "Nelly is the victim of 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."

This is not the first time the rapper has faced an arrest. In 2015, he was arrested by Putnam County Sheriff's Department (PCSD) in Cookeville, Tennessee, for felony possession of drugs, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Nelly was released the following day on bail.

Born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., the 42-year-old rapper is a three-time Grammy winner. He had produced a number of hits including "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma." He has been referred to as “one of the biggest stars of the new millennium” by journalist Peter Shapiro. He has been ranked as the fourth best-selling rap artist in American history with 21 million albums sold in the U.S.

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