Rapper Nelly has become a part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, a new National Basketball Association expansion team in the US.
Billboard says that financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but the Bobcats will begin their inaugural season in the autumn.
Nelly, real name Cornell Haynes Jr, said in a statement: "Of the many dreams that I have fulfilled in life, being an NBA owner is certainly one of the biggest achievements."
He added that he was looking forward to learning about the sports business and becoming involved in the North Carolina community of Charlotte where the team is based.
