NELLY - NELLY PURSUING AGUILERA ON VIDEO SET

Hip-hop star NELLY has been infatuated with CHRISTINA AGUILERA since the pair duetted together on their forthcoming single TILT YA HEAD BACK.

The HOT IN HERRE rapper plays a 1940s gangster opposite Aguilera's sexy MARILYN MONROE lookalike in the video that accompanies the track.

And, according to a spokesperson at record label UNIVERSAL MUSIC, the atmosphere between the stars was so electric on the set of the promo - it was obvious Nelly fell in love with the DIRRTY singer, who is dating JORDAN BRATMAN, an employee at her management company.

BEVERLY BERRINGHAM, a spokeswoman for Nelly's DIRRTY ENTERTAINMENT firm, says the rapper gave Aguilera a gift of $55,000 (GBP30,555) worth of jewels as a parting present.

Universal say during filming the pair "looked at each other with lusting eyes" and were spotted in "suggestive positions" at Los Angeles' Mondrian Hotel.