Grammy-award winning rapper Nelly has been arrested on felony drug charges, after a Tennessee state trooper stopped the vehicle he was travelling in and found illegal drugs, authorities said.

The 40-year-old rapper's motor coach was stopped yesterday morning on Interstate 40 in Putnam County for not displaying legally required stickers.

A police officer smelled marijuana from the vehicle, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security said.

A search turned up methamphetamine, a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, as well as several handguns.

Nelly was charged with felony possession of drugs, simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, the department said.

One other man travelling in the coach was also arrested and charged.

In 2012 authorities discovered marijuana, heroin and loaded gun on the rapper's tour bus at a Border Patrol checkpoint in west Texas.

A member of the singer's entourage took responsibility for the items and was arrested. Others on the bus including Nelly were released.

Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes, has performed in several movies and was named by Billboard magazine in 2009 as one of the top artists of the decade.