Ashanti confirmed rumors that she is expecting rapper Nelly’s baby – her first child at age 43.
“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation,” Ashanti told Essence magazine in a statement on Wednesday. “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 R&B star, who is engaged to Nelly, 49, teased her pregnancy at an event in December 2023.
In video obtained by TMZ, Ashanti rubbed her tummy while standing onstage. Nelly then touched her belly and they both erupted in laughter.
On Wednesday, she captioned an Instagram post, “Baby baby baby baby…”
Nelly shares two children from previous relationships. He also adopted the children of his sister Jackie Donahue, who died of leukemia in 2005.
Ashanti and Nelly dated on and off for nearly 2 decades. They reunited and went Instagram official in 2023.
“I think it surprised both of us, though. It wasn’t anything that was like, I don’t think, planned. I think we both was pretty much doing what we do,” Nelly said in a podcast interview.
“We’re cool again,” he added.
