NELLY and Ashanti have secretly gotten married months before revealing they’re expecting their first child together.
The pair reportedly tied the knot in December 2023.
TMZ first reported on Wednesday that Nelly, 49, and Ashanti, 43, exchanged vows, though it is unknown where the ceremony was held.
According to public records, the hip-hop stars’ marriage became official in Nelly’s hometown of St. Louis County.
The lovebirds have been teasing recently that a grander celebration is to come.
Ashanti gushed over Nelly’s intimate proposal in an interview with Entertainment Tonight earlier this week.
She admitted that her rapper beau completely surprised her with the proposal while she was home wearing pajamas.
In April, the Rain on Me singer announced they were engaged and revealed her pregnancy.
“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation,” the pregnant star said in a video on Instagram.
She also confessed that she’s been looking forward to becoming a mother and was happy to share the news with her family and fans.
This would be Ashanti’s first child but Nelly’s seventh, as his other children are from previous relationships.
The rap star has a daughter, Chanelle, and a son, Cornell Jr., and he adopted his sister Jackie Donahue’s two children, Shawn and Sydney Thomas, following her death in 2005.
He also shared two children with his ex, Channetta Valentine, 47.
Fans were thrilled for the happy couple and flooded social media with well wishes.
“I’m so happy for Ashanti!! Any time I see true love come together it makes me so happy,” one person said.
Others boasted about how much they adored the duo’s love story.
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.
“My ship is getting married. Nelly and Ashanti. OMG. Guys, I have waited TWENTY years for this,” another added.
Nelly and Ashanti previously dated for 10 years, beginning in 2003.
Ashanti spoke about their 2013 breakup in an interview with Meredith Vieira, saying she’d been “betrayed” and appeared to label her then-ex as a “coward.”
However, they worked things out and rekindled their romance in 2023.
In September, Nelly confirmed that he and Ashanti were back together during an interview.
“Yeah. We cool again,” the Air Force Ones said, adding that their separation helped them become a stronger couple moving forward.
