Artists Ashanti and Nelly have welcomed their first child together after rekindling their romance last year.
Ashanti made the announcement on Monday, sharing that she and the rapper Nelly recently became parents. In an Instagram video, she showcased her post-partum figure and expressed her excitement about motherhood. “Four weeks post-partum, you have no idea what this body can do,” she stated while wearing recovery shorts.
In her post, Ashanti reflected on her life journey, humorously noting how things have not always gone as planned. She and Nelly, who were previously in a relationship for 11 years before breaking up in 2013, reignited their romance in September 2023 and got married in December.
“I’ve been waiting to be a mom for a long time now but nothing could prepare me for EVERYTHING motherhood brings!,” Ashanti wrote, adding her pride in her body for bringing her child into the world.
Ashanti, 43, and Nelly, 49, welcomed their son, Kareem Kenkaide Hayes, on July 18, as confirmed by a representative. The couple is reportedly overjoyed with their new addition, affectionately referring to their son as “KK.”
In related news, Ashanti’s announcement came shortly after Nelly faced legal troubles following an incident at a casino in St. Louis on August 7, where he was arrested on suspicion of possessing ecstasy. According to Nelly’s attorney, the rapper was unaware of an outstanding warrant stemming from a previous citation for driving without insurance.
Nelly has two older children, Chanelle and Cornell Haynes III, from a prior relationship, and he also adopted his late sister’s children following her passing in 2005.