Rapper Nelly is denying the rape accusation that led to his arrest early Saturday.

News broke that the rapper, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr., was booked into a Washington jail by the Auburn, Washington, Police Department after a woman came forward claiming that he raped her in his tour bus. He was set to perform with Florida Georgia Line in Ridgefield over the weekend.

Attorney Scott Rosenblum, Nelly's representative, said the accusation was "fabricated" in a statement:

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"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."

Nelly denied the allegations on Twitter after he was released from jail without charges.

An investigation is currently underway.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez