Ashanti Confirms Pregnancy Rumors, Announces Engagement To Nelly
Ashanti has not only confirmed that she is pregnant, but she and Nelly are also engaged.
In a sponsored post by Proov—an at-home fertility testing company in which they co-own—the singer is seen getting ready for a show backstage. Her mom/manager, Tina Douglas, enters and asks how much more time is needed. To which she replies, “Imma need about nine months.” The response had her mother’s jaw on the floor.
Ashanti, 43, captioned the video, “Baby baby baby baby….” It was an adorably fitting reference to her 2002 classic of the same name.
Of the news of her upcoming nuptials and baby, she tells ESSENCE, “This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation. 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.”
Under previous throwback posts from earlier this month, some criticized Ashanti, accusing her of “pulling a Halle [Bailey]” meaning that she was hiding her obvious pregnancy.
However, others rushed to Ashanti’s defense. One commented, “I’m crying laughing cause if she is actually pregnant I love the petty! Cause I’d post every picture in my phone except what y’all looking for.” Another replied, “Y’all need to stop pressuring people to do something they clearly do not want to do.
If y’all already know, who cares if she confirms it or not?”
After a source reportedly close to Nelly and Ashanti confirmed the pregnancy to US Weekly back in December, her mom unintentionally cosigned the report months later. During a panel discussion this past March, one host extended her well wishes to the couple through Douglas.
She quickly corrected them by stating, “There’s been no announcement, it hasn’t come out yet, so, you know, until I hear it from Ashanti and Nelly…”
This would be Ashanti’s first child with her longtime love. The pair reunited a decade after their first on-off, nearly 10-year romance. Nelly has two children—a 29-year-old daughter, Chanelle and a 24-year-old son, Cornell Haynes III—from a previous relationship. He adopted his niece and nephew, Shawn and Sydney Thomas, after his sister, Jackie Donahue, died of leukemia in 2005.
