(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Nelly had no qualms about working with Chris Brown on his new album because everybody deserves a second chance.

The American rapper has collaborated with the US R&B star for a track on his new record 5.0. He insists he had no problem with uniting with the Chris even though he was charged with felony assault in March 2009 following an altercation with his partner of the time, singer Rihanna.

The incident attracted international condemnation of Chris, who was sentenced to five years' probation and six months' community labour after admitting punching, biting and choking Rihanna in his car. Nelly claims the 21-year-old was young when he made the errors and shouldnt be shunned for them.

When you come from certain environments and you grow up in certain areas and you make mistakes yourself you try not to be the one to always want to throw the rocks at the first one you know, he told PerezHilton.com, when asked if hed considered whether working with Chris would be a good idea. And youre talking about someone who made mistakes at a very, very young age at that. I think hes a person who is very talented and everybody needs a second chance.

Nelly, who is currently enjoying international success with his single Just a Dream, also rebutted insinuations he is romantically involved with American singer Ashanti, claiming that the pair are just hanging out.

However, he went onto suggest they are taking things slowly and concentrating on their friendship while working on their respective careers at the same time.

Were just good friends. Were hanging out, he said. I think what people misunderstand sometimes is you look at years but youve got to look at how yeas progress. Its been a few years but shes been doing her and Ive been doing me so its not like we spent all that time totally together so getting to know each other is a process and we decided that we really needed to become friends first before anything so were still working on that process. (C) Cover Media