Ashanti Announces She's Pregnant and Engaged to Nelly
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Originally appeared on E! Online
Ashanti and Nelly are taking a new ride that will change their lives.
Seven months after the couple confirmed they had rekindled their romance, the "Rock wit U" singer shared she is pregnant with her and Nelly's first baby and they are engaged.
"This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation," Ashanti, 43, told Essence in a statement April 16. "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 also shared the pregnancy news on Instagram with a video showing her preparing for a performance. When asked how much time she needs, she declared, "I'm gonna need about nine months."
While couple's baby will be Ashanti's first child, Nelly, 49, is a father of four—he shares daughter Chanelle, 30, and son Cornell Haynes III, 25, with ex Channetta Valentine and adopted Shawn and Sydney Thomas, his sister Jackie Donahue's kids, after she died of cancer in 2005, Essence reported.
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Nelly and Ashanti dated on and off for almost 10 years until they seemingly broke up for good in 2013. However, they sparked rumors of a reconciliation last April when they were spotted together in Las Vegas. The "Country Grammar" artist confirmed on the Philo TV show Boss Moves with Rasheeda in September that he and the singer were back together and "cool again."
He added, "I think it surprised both of us, though. It wasn't anything that was like, I don't think, planned."
The following month, Nelly, made their renewed romance Instagram official with a heartfelt birthday tribute to Ashanti.
"Such a beautiful, an incredible person inside and out and one of the hardest working women," the "Ride wit Me" singer captioned his post. "I know.. @ashanti Enjoy your day Ma you look awesome!!!! Happy Birthday Love ya!!!!"
Ashanti responded, "Awwwwww Thanku Big head!!!!!!!! love ya!!!!"
Learn more about the love lives of your favorite singers:
Ashanti & Nelly
The two dated on and off between 2003 and 2013, then rekindled their romance in 2023. In April 2024, Ashanti announced the two were engaged and that she was pregnant. This will be her first child.
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco
The "Lose You to Love Me" singer seemingly debuted her romance with the music producer in December 2023, writing in an Instagram comment, "He is my absolute everything in my heart."
Selena—who previously dated Justin Bieber and The Weeknd—has known Benny for at least eight years, as they worked together on her 2015 Revival tracks "Same Old Love" and "Kill Em With Kindness."
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
The Grammy winner saw sparks fly with the Kansas City Chiefs football player during the cruel summer of 2023.
“This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,” she told TIME in December 2023. “We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”
Miley Cyrus and Maxx Morando
The Hannah Montana alum has been getting flowers from the Liily drummer since 2021.
"It's official between them," a source told E! News in January 2022, with a second insider adding, "They are both artistic and creative, so they bond over being musicians."
Harry Styles and Taylor Russell
The One Direction alum seemingly kicked off his golden romance with the Bones and All actress in 2023 following his split from Olivia Wilde. Harry and Taylor were spotted holding hands in London in September 2023, and he attended her final West End performance in The Effect the following month.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z
The music legends tied the knot on April 4, 2008 and went on to welcome daughter Blue Ivy on January 7, 2012 and twins Rumi and Sir on June 13, 2017.
"I was 20 years old when we first started dating," Bey told Jay-Z on his birthday in 2006. "You taught me how to be a woman. You taught me how to live. You taught me how to be a friend. You've given me so much in life."
Adele and Rich Paul
The singer said hello to a new romance when she reconnected with the sports agent in 2021. Later that year, she praised him as "hilarious" and "very smart" during her CBS special, noting, "It's quite incredible watching him do what he does and just the easiness of it and very smooth."
As Adele told The Hollywood Reporter in December 2023, "Rich and I have always known everything about each other since the day we got together."
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater
After news broke of Ariana's split with husband Dalton Gomez in July 2023, she said "thank u, next" and started a relationship with her Wicked costar, who officially filed for divorce from his wife Lilly Jay in September 2023.
Demi Lovato and Jutes
The pair met while working on her 2022 single "Substance" and she debuted her romance with the "Too Easy" artist in August 2022.
"We worked really well together and we're also just super in love," the Disney alum said on The Jennifer Hudson Show in December 2023. "It's amazing to find someone that you just laugh with and that you get to make music with."
A$AP Rocky and Rihanna
They found love after first meeting over a decade ago. The singers performe d"Cockiness" at the MTV Video Music Awards and grew closer over the years. Things seemed to turn romantic by 2018, when they cozied up at a Louis Vuitton fashion show.
The couple welcomed son RZA on May 13, 2022 and baby boy Riot Rose in August 2023.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
Her love didn't cost a thing—except 20 years' wait. Though they originally got engaged in November 2002, Ben and J.Lo ultimately broke up and spent years apart. Their rekindled romance took off, with a second engagement in April 2022 and tied the knot just three months later.
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