Nelly And Ashanti Welcome Their First Baby Boy, Kareem Kenkaide Haynes

Nelly and Ashanti’s baby already has a nickname—KK.

The rapper and R&B singer welcomed Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, their first-born child together on July 18, 2024 and the couple are already in love with him, a rep told People.

Ashanti posted a carousel of images celebrating her body, the baby’s birth, and her newly minted status as a mother. 

“Funny how life’s plans aren’t…always on time.. lol. I’ve been waiting to be a mom for a long time now but nothing could prepare me for EVERYTHING motherhood brings!” the singer wrote in her caption. 

“This is what postpartum looks like… I’m so proud of my body for giving me my baby, baby, baby, baby, baby.”

It’s been a whirlwind of sorts for the musical couple who reconciled and got back together last year, as confirmed by the rapper in September of 2023 on the Boss Moves with Rasheeda Show. 

Rumors began to spark during a Verzus between Fat Joe and Ja Rule which found Nelly on the same stage with Ashanti. It was the first time either of them had been together since their breakup. 

The couple were married on December 27, 2023 according to People Magazine.  

This is Ashanti’s first child–she’s 42. Nelly, 49, has two children—Cornell III who is 25 and a daughter named Chanelle who is 30. When the rapper’s sister passed in 2005 at 31, he raised her children Sydney and Shawn. 

Ashanti and Nelly are the co-owners of Proov, a diagnostics company that provides at home tests that aid in the conception process—giving accurate inexpensive speedy results.