Ashanti Gives Birth, Welcomes First Baby With Nelly

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This isn’t just a dream.

Nelly and Ashanti—who quietly tied the knot in December 2023—welcomed their first child together, a baby boy named Kareem Kenkaide Hayes, on July 18, their rep told E! News.

Ashanti also confirmed the news by sharing a photo of herself in postpartum underwear.

"Funny how life’s plans aren’t…always on time.. lol," the singer, wearing Frida Mom, wrote on Instagram Aug. 21. "I’ve been waiting to be a mom for a long time now but nothing could prepare me for EVERYTHING motherhood brings!"

Noting that "this is what postpartum looks like," Ashanti gushed that she's "so proud of my body for giving me my baby, baby, baby, baby, baby."

The couple announced their pregnancy and engagement simultaneously seven months after confirming they had rekindled their romance.

They shared the big news in a joint April 17 Instagram post, featuring a video of Ashanti getting ready backstage and the caption, “Baby baby baby baby…,” referring to her iconic 2002 hit. When asked how much more time she needed, she replied, “I’m gonna need about nine months.”

And for Ashanti, 43, motherhood was a dream that she had always hoped would come true.

"I was so shocked and happy and emotional," she told Entertainment Tonight not long after sharing her news. "I always dreamed about it. I wanted it so, so bad and I just feel like the timing was perfect."

While the arrival of their baby makes Ashanti a first-time mother, Nelly, 49, is now a father of five. He shares daughter Chanelle and son Cornell Haynes III with ex Channetta Valentine, and he adopted his sister Jackie Donahue's kids, Shawn and Sydney Thomas, after she passed away in 2005.

Luckily, Ashanti will not be alone in this new chapter of her life and has endless support from those around her.

"This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation," she shared with Essence in April. "Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience."

And despite announcing their engagement along with their pregnancy in April, public records revealed that the couple were actually already married, having tied the knot four months prior on December 27, 2023. But taking this next step in their relationship was not something that Ashanti could have predicted.

"Never in a million years did I think we would be here," she told Entertainment Tonight in June. "Ten years ago—maybe yes—but after our breakup, you know, I didn't even think we'd ever have a conversation again."

(Photo by Shannon Finney/WireImage)

The “Body on Me” collaborators met over two decades ago but broke up in 2013 after nine years of being on and off to focus on their respective careers. However, Nelly confirmed in September that they had rekindled their romance after 10 years apart.

"We cool again," he said on Boss Moves With Rasheeda in September 2023. "I think it surprised both of us, though. It wasn’t anything that was like, I don’t think, planned. I think we both was pretty much doing what we do. But sometimes being separate, you understand one another more."

And the “Country Grammar” artist went as far as sharing his perspective on marriage just three months before they secretly held their wedding in St. Louis.

"I've never been married," he continued. "My goal is to die married—it's not to have been married. You see what I'm saying? When I make that oath, tellin' you, death do us part for real. You know what I'm saying? But I think the goal is to leave this earth knowing that you had somebody that loved you and was with you."

Read on to relive Nelly and Ashanti’s romance through the years.

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

2003

Nelly and Ashanti first crossed paths at the 45th annual Grammy Awards nomination announcement in 2003.

"The first time I met Nelly, he asked me for my autograph but I think he was being sarcastic," she recalled during VH1’s Behind the Music special. "I remember writing it down on the program, and that picture has been in so many publications as ‘something else.’ But it all started out as a joke."

Although, a romance didn't blossom right away.

"For the record," Ashanti continued, "it took him a long time to get my number."

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

2005

Over the next few years, the "Happy" singer and the "Hot In Herre" artist continued to attend several events together—including each other's birthday celebrations.

And while Ashanti confirmed to People she and Nelly went out, she made it clear they were "not boyfriend and girlfriend."

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

2006

Still, the duo continued to spark romance rumors as they sat courtside at basketball games, went to parties and walked the red carpet together, including at the 2006 premiere for Ashanti's movie John Tucker Must Die.

Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

2008

And while it may seem foolish to think there wasn't a connection between Ashanti and Nelly, especially after the release of their 2008 hit "Body On Me," she insisted their bond was just platonic.

“Me and Nelly, we’re good friends. We kick it–hang out a lot,” she told People at the time. “The industry is very hard, so it’s good to have fun and lighten it up.”

As for any rumors that a wedding was in the works?

“Oh no. Noooo! No engagement," Ashanti added. “But definitely in the future. Ha! Ha!”

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

2009

In 2009, reports spread that Nelly and Ashanti had broken up.

"We're always going to be cool," he told VladTV in 2010 about where they stand. "We're friends. It's definitely something that, right now, my focus is 5.0. Her focus is her album and getting her music and stuff like that together. And I think it's just one of those things."

However, the "Just a Dream" rapper continued to play coy about their history.

"To say we split up is to say that we were together," he added. "Our relationship has been based in the media because it's nothing we ever said about it."

Theo Wargo/WireImage for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation

2012

However, it wasn't long before Ashanti and Nelly were spotted together again. Here, they're pictured attending the 2012 Angel Ball.

Peter Kramer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

2015

But in 2013, Ashanti fueled split rumors.

"Nelly and I are in the space where I'm kind of like focusing on my career," she said on Hot 97. "He's focusing on what he's doing. There's a lot of things that happened this year. A lot of things went public more than other things have gone public before."

"I have to do me," Ashanti, who released her album Braveheart in 2014, continued. "We're in that space right now. And there were things that were said and things that were done that probably shouldn't have been said or done but they have been."

She then confirmed the split in 2015.

"I think sometimes when people have their own insecurities it allows them to act out of character," she said on The Meredith Vieira Show. "I’ve been betrayed. Again, you just have to grow. You have to grow up. You have to accept responsibilities for the things that you do."

"I’m not a big fan of people being cowards," she added. "So I think that it’s just really important to know yourself and understand what you want and get it. You know, I’m in a different place right now."

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

2021

Fast-forward to 2021, when Ashanti and Nelly joined Jermaine Dupri, Papoose, Ma, Fat Joe, Ja Rule and Lil' Mo for VERZUZ: Fat Joe Vs Ja Rule.

The following year, they performed together again, and the John Tucker Must Die star later revealed if she believed in second chances.

"What I will say is I believe that people evolve," she said on Bevy Smith's Bevelations. "I believe that people grow. I believe that people learn from their mistakes—some of them, not everybody. You know what I’m saying? I feel like you definitely have to go through something that makes you change in your time."

As she later put it, "We have to see. I mean, what’s meant to be will be, undoubtedly. Did I think a few years ago that I’d be performing with Nelly on stage? No."

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

2023

In 2023, Ashanti confirmed to E! News she and Nelly rekindled their romance, and the "Country Grammar" artist suggested they hadn't anticipated getting back together.

"We cool again," he said on Boss Moves With Rasheeda. "I think it surprised both of us, though. It wasn’t anything that was like, I don’t think, planned. I think we both was pretty much doing what we do. But sometimes being separate, you understand one another more."

Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for E11EVEN

2024

Ashanti announces she and Nelly are engaged and having a baby.

“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation,” she told Essence. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience.”

Watch E! News weeknights Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m., only on E!.

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