Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby now has a new meaning for Ashanti!
The R&B songstress just revealed that she’s expecting her first child with boo Nelly. The announcement came through an Instagram video Wednesday, in which Ashanti while preparing for a performance, hinted at her pregnancy in a playful exchange with her team. When asked how much time she needed to be ready, Ashanti joked, “I’m gonna need about nine months,” leaving her mother, Tina Douglas, visibly surprised and delighted by the news.
This baby marks Ashanti’s first child, whereas Nelly, the “Hot in Herre” rapper, will welcome his third. He is already a father to two adult children, Chanelle, 29, and Cornell Haynes III, 24, from a previous relationship. He adopted his sister’s children, Shawn and Sydney Thomas, after her passing in 2005.
The couple had previously sparked rumors of a possible pregnancy at Nelly’s 11th Black and White Ball last December. During an auction at the event, Nelly was seen placing his hand on Ashanti’s stomach, which she then covered with a heart gesture, before the two quickly exited the stage, leaving fans speculating.
Ashanti, 43, and Nelly, 49, have had a long-standing on-and-off relationship, dating back to their initial romantic connection that spanned a decade before they parted ways in 2013. However, earlier this year, the couple rekindled their relationship, and they are now sharing this new chapter together.
