Ashanti, 43, gives birth to first child with husband Nelly just two weeks after rapper was arrested for drug posession

ASHANTI has given birth to her first child with her husband, Nelly.

The couple announced they were expecting a child in April 2024, only two months before it was revealed Ashanti and Nelly had been married for nearly a year.

Ashanti and Nelly at the Quality Control 3rd Annual Black Ball in Atlanta, Georgia in 2023

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Ashanti and Nelly at the Quality Control 3rd Annual Black Ball in Atlanta, Georgia in 2023Credit: Getty Images
Ashanti and Nelly made a surprise appearance at a baby shower held at the Dolce & Gabbana boutique in New York City in June 2024

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Ashanti and Nelly made a surprise appearance at a baby shower held at the Dolce & Gabbana boutique in New York City in June 2024Credit: Shutterstock
Ashanti showed off her baby bump in Miami Beach, Florida on April 17, 2024, at POSSIBLE event

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Ashanti showed off her baby bump in Miami Beach, Florida on April 17, 2024, at POSSIBLE eventCredit: Shutterstock

The birth of her first child comes after the two confirmed their rekindled relationship in September 2023.

Nelly confirmed the news while speaking on Rasheeda Frost’s Boss Moves.

“Yeah, We cool again,” the rapper revealed.

“It wasn’t anything that was, like planned. I think we both was pretty much doing what we do.

Read More on Ashanti and Nelly

“But sometimes being separate, you understand one another more.”

Nelly and Ashanti’s resurrected romance comes a decade after the pair called it quits.

The couple began dating in 2003 after meeting at a Grammy Awards press conference.

However, the Body On Me musicians broke up in 2009 and got back together the following year.

Months after the two confirmed their romance on April 17, 2024, it was revealed Nelly and Ashanti were expecting their first child together.

Ultimately, the couple split for good in 2013 until they got back together in 2023.

Ashanti and Nelly secretly married six months ago as stars prepare for birth of first child together

The Rain on Me singer shared the news in an Instagram video.

The video showed the singer about to take the stage as her mother, Tina Douglas, asked her how long it would be until show time.

Ashanti walked through the curtains with a pregnancy test, saying she would need “about nine months.”

This birth marks Ashanti’s first but Nelly’s fifth.

SECRET WEDDING

The same day Ashanti announced she was expecting, the couple revealed they were engaged, according to Essence.

“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation,” she told the outlet as she proceeded to call Nelly her “fiancé.”

Nelly & Ashanti’s Relationship Timeline

Fans are in awe of Nelly and Ashanti’s love story, as they’ve undergone several milestones in their romance. Here’s a breakdown of their relationship timeline.

  • Nelly and Ashanti met at a Grammy Awards press conference in 2003 and began dating shortly after.
  • In 2009, rumors circulated that the couple had called it quits.
  • They squashed the chatter when they attended rapper TI’s wedding the following year.
  • After 10 years of dating, Nelly and Ashanti eventually split in 2013.
  • In February 2023, rumors began brewing that the exes had rekindled their relationship after fans spotted clues on social media.
  • They further fueled rumors that they were back together that April when they were seen together at a boxing match in Las Vegas, Nevada, and holding hands upon leaving the venue.
  • Nelly confirmed that he and Ashanti were an item again during an interview in September 2023.
  • In April 2024, the duo announced they were engaged and expecting their first child together.
  • Later that June, it was revealed that the pair had secretly tied the knot six months earlier.

“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,” she said.

While the pair announced they were engaged in April 2024, it was reported the couple tied the knot in December 2023, as per TMZ.

According to public records, the stars made their nuptials official in Nelly’s hometown of St. Louis County, Missouri.

While they made their marriage official on December 27, it is unclear where Ashanti and Nelly held their ceremony.

Nelly and Ashanti at the Los Angeles premiere for the John Tucker Must Die film in 2007

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Nelly and Ashanti at the Los Angeles premiere for the John Tucker Must Die film in 2007Credit: WireImage
Ashanti and Nelly attended the Angel Ball in New York City on October 22, 2012

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Ashanti and Nelly attended the Angel Ball in New York City on October 22, 2012Credit: WireImage

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