US rapper Nelly has said he is "beyond shocked" after being accused of raping a woman on his tour bus.
The 42-year-old, real name Cornell Haynes, was arrested in the early hours of Saturday morning following a gig near Seattle.
Nelly later took to Twitter to deny the "false and defaming allegation", insisting: "I am completely innocent".
In a string of tweets the father-of-two also apologised to his family for "putting myself in a situation where I could be victimised".
He added: "To be absolutely clear. I have not been charged with a crime therefore no bail was required. I was released, pending further investigation."
Summing up his denial, he added: "In other words y'all know damm well I ain't do no dumm S*t like this..!! Love ..!!!!"
Nelly - best known on this side of the Atlantic for the Dilemma duet in 2002 with Kelly Rowland - was on tour after releasing his seventh studio album MO and is due to play 15 shows around the United Kingdom in November.
His latest performance was at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington state, on Friday.
The city's police department said it received a call from a female at 3.48am on Saturday "to report that she was sexually assaulted by a male, who is known as the rapper Nelly".
The force said: "The alleged assault was reported to occur on the tour bus that was parked at the listed location.
"Nelly had performed at the White River Amphitheatre just hours before.
"After Patrol Officers investigated the incident, at 4.37am Nelly was taken into custody."
The rapper, who has not been charged with an offence, was later released while police investigate the allegation of second degree rape.
To be absolutely clear. I have not been charged with a crime therefore no bail was required. I was released , pending further investigation.
— Nelly_Mo (@Nelly_Mo) October 7, 2017
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_Mo (@Nelly_Mo) October 7, 2017
