Ashanti, Nelly expecting first child together
Rapper Nelly and singer-songwriter Ashanti arrive at Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in March.
ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images
Following a whirlwind reunion, lovebirds Ashanti and Nelly are getting a visit from the stork.
The R&B songstress is expecting her first child with the "Hot In Herre" rapper, Ashanti confirmed in an interview with Essence magazine Wednesday.
"This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope and anticipation," Ashanti told the magazine. "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."
The now-engaged couple alluded to Ashanti's pregnancy with an appearance at the Black & White Ball in December, according to footage obtained by TMZ. In the video, Ashanti rubbed her stomach while standing onstage, followed by a touch from Nelly a few seconds later. The singers then started laughing after the gesture.
Nelly shares two children from previous relationships: daughter Chanelle Haynes, 30, and son Cornell Haynes III, 25. He also adopted Shawn and Sydney Thomas, the children of sister Jackie Donahue, after she died of leukemia in 2005.
Ashanti and Nelly had privately dated on and off for around a decade after they were both nominated for (and later won) Grammy Awards in 2003.
After months of speculation about the two rekindling their romance, Nelly revealed in September that he and the "Foolish" singer were giving things another go.