Gossip On This’ founder & editor-in-charge Dustin Gary caught up with rapper Nelly this past Saturday (Feb. 28th) in Charlotte, NC at the 2009 CIAA Ford Fan Experience. We were originally scheduled to have 5 – 10 minutes with the St. Louis rapper, but due to unfortunate circumstances, our time was cut short (to only about 3 questions). We talked about his new TV show and we also got him to open up a bit about the situation between Chris Brown and Rihanna.

NELLY SPEAKS ON THE CHRIS BROWN/RIHANNA SITUATION:

“I think that people need to allow them to allow them to handle that situation themselves,” Nelly told Gossip On This exclusively. “I think until the facts and everything comes out, we need to allow them to deal with that themselves and understand that they’re young and people make mistakes.”

We didn’t get a chance to ask him if he had seen the photo, but at this point, who hasn’t seen it? Continue reading for an entire transcript of the interview!

Dustin: I hear you’re pitching a tv show to a few major networks, can you tell us a bit about that?

Nelly: You know what? If you look at a lot of late-night talk shows, and things of that nature, no one really speaks from inside of the pop culture. Everyone speaks at it and kind of gives their own opinion. But my show is just about someone being involved and coming out and having a voice. I kind of want to bring back that old Arsenio Hall energy, where people used to just rush home and watch it, you know? Something more to that nature.

Dustin: Okay, Snoop premiered his show last week on MTV and he featured a lot of celebrities. Do you plan on doing something like that for your show?

Nelly: Yeah that’s exactly what my show is. It’s going to have the best interviews, the best performances, you know what I’m saying? Good luck to my man Snoop by the way.Mine is live from Vegas and I think there’s enough room out there for everybody.

Dustin: Have you heard about what’s been going on with Chris Brown and Rihanna?

Nelly: What you mean?

Dustin: About the alleged fight or situation that happened between them…

Nelly: I think that people need to allow them to allow them to handle that situation themselves. You feel what I’m saying? I think until the facts and everything comes out, we need to allow them to deal with that themselves and understand that they’re young and people make mistakes.

Dustin: Alright, thank you Nelly, I appreciate it.

Nelly: No doubt.