Ashanti and Nelly are officially engaged and expecting their first child together. The “Foolish” singer shared the joyous announcement in an exclusive statement to Essence magazine.
“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation. Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to and sharing this with my family, fiancée and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience.”
Earlier, Ashanti confirmed her pregnancy on Instagram with a video showing her preparing for a performance. When asked how much time she needs, she playfully replied, “I’m gonna need about nine months.” The adorable video, captioned “Baby baby baby baby…,” was also shared by Nelly.
Rumors of a bun in the oven first swirled in December after a video surfaced from Nelly’s Black and White Ball in St. Louis. It showed Nelly placing his hand on Ashanti’s stomach, sparking speculation. A source close to the couple confirmed the news to US Weekly, stating, “Nelly and Ashanti are welcoming their first baby together.”
This exciting chapter comes after a long and storied relationship. Nelly, 49, and Ashanti, 43, first started dating back in 2003 but parted ways in 2013. They rekindled their romance in April 2023 after being spotted together in Las Vegas. Last September, Nelly confirmed their rekindled love in an interview, reflecting, “I think we both were pretty much doing what we do, but sometimes being separate you understand one another more.”
This pregnancy marks a first for Ashanti, while Nelly already has four children. He shares daughter Chanelle and son Cornell Haynes III with ex Channetta Valentine. He also adopted his late sister Jackie Donahue’s children, Shawn and Sydney Thomas, after her passing in 2005.
Congratulations to Ashanti and Nelly!
