Despite their breakup in 2013, Ashanti and Nelly found their way back together this year and have recently announced that they are expecting their first child.
Over the weekend Nelly hosted his Black and White Ball, where he invited Ashanti on stage as his special guest. While on stage with Nelly, Ashanti faced the crowd and made the announcement by placing her hands on her belly. Nelly followed suit, approaching her and rubbing her stomach, and the crowd began to process the excitement.
The two have been a strong pair since rekindling their relationship; they have even been rekindling their professional relationship as they are working on a new collaboration, set to include Juicy J and Jermaine Dupri. The two have not collaborated since 2008 with “Good Good” and “Body on Me.”
Although 49-year-old Nelly already has a daughter, 29-year-old Chanelle, and son, 24-year-old Cornell Haynes III, this will be Ashanti’s first child. Ashanti, who is 43 years old, has told interviewers that she was hoping to be able to get pregnant and have a family, but she has to be careful. Last year she told People Magazine: “I have to make sure it’s with the right person. Trust me, there’s a lot of guys that want to be my baby daddy — and they’ve tried.”
After rekindling her previous relationship with Nelly, it seems the pair have been happier than ever. Last month after his birthday, Nelly even hinted that the two were trying to get pregnant. After posting his all-blue convertible, a gift from Ashanti for his 49th birthday, an Instagram follower commented telling Nelly that he should get to work on starting a family with her. Nelly replied to the comment, saying: “I’m on it.”
Clearly Nelly wasn’t lying with their pregnancy announcement coming just over a month later.
Social media has been having a field day with the announcement at the expense of Ashanti’s previous problem-manager, Irv Gotti. Ashanti was signed to Gotti’s Murder Inc Records when he began to fall in love with her. Since the two have parted ways, Gotti has gone on multiple interviews claiming that he and Ashanti had been in a relationship, although Ashanti vehemently denies these claims.
Gotti has been accused of being obsessed with Ashanti and unable to leave his unreciprocated feelings for her in the past, making him an easy target for social media trolls.