The nuptials are part of a long history between Nelly and Ashanti, who first dated in the early aughts before separating in 2013. In September 2023, Nelly confirmed that they had rekindled their romance.
“I think it surprised both of us,” he said on the Boss Moves with Rasheeda show. “But sometimes being separate, you understand one another more, where you could be like, ‘Well, yo, let me exactly see, maybe, what they see.’ ‘Cause you know we all can be defensive sometimes in our own relationships. And we know we’re wrong, but we’re going to stand on it.”
As for their baby? The new addition will be the first child for the couple and the third overall for Nelly, who is already dad to daughter Chanelle, 30, and son Cornell Haynes III, 25, with ex Channetta Valentine. He also adopted his sister Jackie Donahue’s kids—Shawn and Sydney Thomas—after she died of cancer in 2005.